Maybe Opposites Do Attract
by Dementia777
Summary: There was something about the eleventh division, their Captain and third seated officer in particular, that scared Hanataro.  He never gave it a lot of thought, or gave any of them a chance until he feels maybe he pegged Ikkaku wrong?
1. Routine

Alright, I'm sorry, okay? I was batting an idea around in my head with no one to help me and then I do that little 12 favorite bleach character meme (or is it just a survey? I don't know these terms...) and Hanataro x Ikkaku comes up, I have to do a summary for them. My summary was unconsciously the summary I had for my story I've been wanting to write, only the idea was with a different pairing, then I read over it and was like; "Well... I guess the universe has spoken." And it has. Unfortunately, Kenpachi x Yachiru came up. That was only barely worth the pain of seeing those two... Oh... I'm getting a little bile in my mouth... Ick...ICK!

Inspired by: Guardian Angel by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (Yeah, it's stupid. Leave me be. I wanted to write it.)

*I paraphrased a quote in the first paragraph, at the very end. The man it is accredited to is Ben Nicholas.

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(For new readers, I'm doing summaries for certain parts of the story where to focus or setting is changed)

Hanataro has been bullied nearly since becoming a Soul Reaper by the bane of any member of the Fourth Division's existence, the Eleventh Division. He'd love for it to end, but he's afraid of his own shadow and has been for a very long time.

It's a possibility that his easily frightened demeanor could change, and he could become a stronger person, but that certainly couldn't happen on his own.

Ikkaku is bored, and desperate for a division. Normally he wouldn't look twice at a weakling from a non-combat division but he'd dug himself so deep into a routine with no changes, he's willing to try just about anything.

Hopefully, they'll come together and give each other what the other needs, though it's a possibility that opposites only attract when you're talking about magnets. Throw divisions that hate each other into the mix and some ill-placed intentions into the mix, each of them having baggage a plenty to bring to the table and it's up to fate where everything ends.

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It was a day like any other. Hanataro had been assigned to cleaning certain parts of the streets of trash and debris, a routine task. On those streets, of course, were a bunch eleventh squad ruffians who wanted to pick on the smaller man, beat him and toss him to the side when his begging to be left alone wasn't as much fun as when they had started, an everyday occurrence. But Hanataro understood, at least passingly, that life was mostly a routine - dull and grubby, but routine was what could keep one going. Waiting for inspiration instead of moving could leave him on a corner, expecting a parade that was already a mile down the street. So he accepted what was given to him day in and day out, and looked forward to positive change when it wasn't possible, and accepted negative change when it came.

That wasn't to say he was apathetic, though. The seventh seat would have loved to get something done about the brutes in the eleventh division, not only for himself, but for his friends that also were constantly hurt by the bullying, but who to file a complaint to? Captain Unohana had already tried to contact Captain Zaraki several times about the issue, but it was never resolved. Hanataro shivered at the very thought of trying to talk to Kenpachi himself. His Lieutenant, while having a guise of extreme cuteness, was short-tempered and dangerous. The third seat was just like his Captain in his temperament and was too scary to even think of confronting. The fourth seat was recently resigned, and even when he was part of the division, he was very egotistical. He'd never help anyone, and the fifth seat, he was. . .

Idea.

Hanataro figured Yumichika was just as convincing as any of his superiors, and the higher seated members weren't much problems to the bullying situation, so those he couldn't control wouldn't matter. All Hanataro had to do was find and convince the the fifth seat and then he'd be in the clear for the rest of his time cleaning the streets. He didn't want to have to pull his zanpakuto around at work to fight those thugs, especially seeing as it hardly helped anyways, as it was unlikely that a severely hurt man would be out prowling, looking for someone to fight.

Once he had finished bandaging his wounds and cleaned up as best as he could, he found his zanpakuto to wear and maybe impress the fifth seat a bit. The eleventh division always wore their swords, and once even their Captain became interested in Hanataro's rather unique zanpakuto. Maybe, Hanataro thought, he could use the fact that Zaraki took interest in him to further his cause.

He'd made it down the street, thinking distractedly about what exactly he could say before he saw the group that had beaten him up earlier, drunk and stumbling over their feet. Wondering how fast they could run in comparison to him while in that condition, Hanataro began to think of an escape route while they still hadn't noticed him. He turned to run and saw, turning on the street he was on (and his most likely escape route), was the third seat Ikkaku Madarame.

For once, he wasn't drunk. He saw the absolute despair in Hanataro's eyes, noticing that he must believe he was trapped between a rock and a hard place. Ikkaku grinned his feral grin that passed beyond his cheeks, and Hanataro felt that he was really doomed. "Hey, you! Didn't Captain say something about you being strong?"

Stammering for words, he wondered if Ikkaku was referring to the time Kenpachi challenged him after seeing his zanpakuto's ability. "I don't think so-" he began, and instantly thought that he would no longer use the story of being challenged to the fifth seat. Ikkaku looked like he wanted to fight because of it.

"Hana-somethin', right?" Ikkaku asked, and Hanataro's legs trembled at hearing Ikkaku vaguely knowing his name. He flash stepped in front of the mob that had scared Hanataro, and spoke loudly to them. Although Hanataro couldn't see the bald man's face, he figured those decorated eyes were glaring daggers. "Back off, and don't ya go botherin' him again."

Ikkaku was helping Hanataro, but that didn't subtract from his scary factor. It really didn't make a difference if he was helping kittens out of trees, he would always have the most frightening demeanor that Hanataro ever saw, outside of the Captain's. Now Hanataro's mind was working even more on overtime, thinking of how to escape from the deadly third seat.

The mob ran away with their tails between their legs and Ikkaku turned to face Hanataro. "Captain Zaraki said you had a real interesting zanpakuto. I've been looking for you."

"Looking for me, no! No, you see, I don't think that-"

"Stop whining when I just saved your ass," Ikkaku said sternly, and Hanataro understood why those eleventh division brutes didn't so much as complain or question when they were sent away. Ikkaku's eyes were enough to send Hanataro running, his voice had a controlling element that was capable of striking fear into anyone who it was directed to, and he had spiritual pressure pouring from him that was nearly suffocating. He was a slightly smaller version of his Captain.

"Sorry," Hanataro mumbled and looked down. His eyes immediately shot back up when he heard the unsheathing of Ikkaku's sword. "Wait-"

"I didn't save you to be ordered around."

"My zanpakuto isn't powerful, honestly, and I'm not strong enough to fight you so-"

"I know that, but you're going to demonstrate the Shikai that got my Captain interested, got that?" Ikkaku's voice made it clear there was no more room for protesting from the smaller man.

"I got injured and I can't fight," Hanataro continued, more afraid of fighting the bloodthirsty man than anything else at the moment. Whether or not he was being truthful about the extents of his injuries was the least of his concerns now.

"So, you'll fight me when your injuries heal?"

"Well, I guess if it's not to the death-"

"Don't be stupid. I'd wind up in Maggot's Nest for killing a fourth division member. Specially one who leads a relief squad," Ikkaku rolled his eyes. Hanataro was honestly rather surprised that Ikkaku would know his status. "Anyways, it's no fun fighting someone who's hurt. Who were you fighting earlier?"

Hanataro stuttered. He wasn't sure if Ikkaku would take offense if he accused the eleventh squad, even if his words were true. Then add that they were a bunch of peons to Ikkaku, and that made him look even worse. But there was nothing for Hanataro to do but tell the truth now that he dug his hole. "Well, it was that group that you sent away."

"Hm, figures," he shrugged. "Next time turn them into mince meat."

"I couldn't do that!"

"Why?"

"Because!"

"Fine, I'll handle them, then. If you get hurt again then I'll have to wait longer to fight you," Ikkaku started to walk away, clearly done with the conversation. As much as Hanataro was glad to be rid of him, seeing as his entire demeanor discouraged so much as one word out of turn, he still wanted to ask a question.

"What do you mean, you'll handle them?"

Ikkaku turned and scratched his nose in thought. He just said he would take care of it, he wasn't sure how quite yet. "Well, I guess I'll tell them they have to go through me to get to you. They won't even approach a single member of your squad with that threat out there."

Maybe, Hanataro thought, going to Ikkaku wasn't such a bad idea in the first place. The luck of having Ikkaku there at the moment he was needed was close to a miracle, but regardless, he seemed to be the right guy to have on your side. Until of course, it was time to fight, but Hanataro pushed that out of his mind for the time being. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Ikkaku said and walked off.

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	2. Chapter 2

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A full week went by since Hanataro was saved by the cocky and violent third seat, and he was dreading the inevitable encounter more and more as each wound closed, so much that he refused any treatment should someone notice an injury and if he wasn't so weak stomached, he would have tried reopening the injuries with a scalpel multiple times. He was healed now though, and had no excuse not to fight like he'd promised besides the fact that he went weak kneed each and every time he so much as thought about the prospect, or even Ikkaku in general. Any seated officer in the eleventh division was more than enough to defeat someone like Hanataro, who was weak in confidence and fighting skills. How was his luck so horrible as to attract the attention of the highest seated officer in the combat division, when he couldn't even hold his own against a peon? Not only was he hunted down by Kenpachi once, but now he also had to endure a match from someone who ran on the exact same mindset without any way to squirm out of it.

Well, maybe not completely without any way to avoid fighting. If he filed a complaint to a high-ranking officer of his division or his Captain, then he would be excused of responsibility of fighting. He wouldn't have to deal with Ikkaku's violent rampage, either. If a complaint was filed and the third seat lost his temper, then his division would be made to look bad for having someone challenging someone considerably weaker than him and then throwing a fit when the match was canceled. The problem, though, was that if Hanataro succeeded in ridding himself of the beating from the fearsome Ikkaku, then he'd be going back on his word and also endangering his entire squad as Ikkaku would take back his protection and his division would pick on the medics with extra gusto to make up for their lost time.

He couldn't just throw away the well-being of his division to avoid a fight, no matter how appealing it was to think about.

Captain Unohana called Hanataro into her office after his janitorial duties were finished and he was just preparing to go home after a long day. It wasn't anything terribly uncommon, she liked to talk to her officers on a regular basis to check if everything was going smoothly within her division. Hanataro thought nothing of it when he heard, besides being a small bit nervous at his ability to keep everything that was going to transpire between he and Ikkaku secret in her presence. She was dreadfully clever, despite her kind and calm demeanor, she picked up on absolutely everything. It sometimes seemed as though she was empathetic to the extent that she knew your very thoughts before you could think them. As soon as the door was closed she smiled lightly, although not looking up from the paperwork that she was doing, she addressed him. "You've been quite nervous lately. Are you feeling well?"

The lieutenant wasn't anywhere in sight. That was never anything good. Isane was always with her Captain, to hold her zanpakuto and keep company.

Hanataro stumbled over his words as he spoke them. "O-of course, my wounds healed up perfectly."

"That's not what I was trying to say," she looked up calmly from her paperwork for the first time since her seventh seat walked into the room and made sure to stare into Hanataro's eyes with unusual firmness. "If there's anything troubling you, you should be able to tell me. I'm not so cold as to ignore the wellness of one of my subordinates. You especially should feel comfortable talking to me, seeing as you are the closest with the members of your squad that you can voice everyone's troubles as well as your own. I know I haven't been able to do a lot about the eleventh division, but you should speak your mind either way," she turned her attention back to the paperwork.

"I know, but the eleventh division hasn't bothered a single person in a while."

"Yes. Not since your encounter with third seat, Ikkaku Madarame," she was casually working on some documents on her desk. It was so strange, how she could be so condescending and yet so comforting at the same time, pushing away yet pulling closer.

"How did you know about that?" Hanataro almost jumped at hearing that she knew.

"Is how I acquire my knowledge important? Tell me what's making you nervous."

There was certainly no point in concealing anything any longer. "Well, I kind of said I would fight Ikkaku after my wounds healed and he forbid any of the lower members from the division to meddle with our division. I didn't mean to make a deal like that, but he was-"

Captain Unohana stood up, and in her kind, calm voice she said; "I'll speak to Captain Zaraki urgently." It was no wonder she saw the importance of the situation, Ikkaku was a ruthless typical member of the eleventh division with enough battling power for the whole fourth division, spare the Captain, times ten.

It was unheard of for anyone to argue with a decision made by Captain Unohana in the fourth division, as everyone respected her so much, it wouldn't be unheard of to hold her as a deity. Hanataro had made a promise though, and he couldn't go back on his word just because his Captain offered a way out. It would sacrifice everyone's well being if he were to do so. "Wait, Captain."

She stood with a slight frown. "Hanataro, it's unacceptable for you to fight someone so much stronger than you. Ikkaku's strength, according to some of his close friends, could be at a Captain's level."

"It's not going to be a battle to the death, he only wants to see my zanpakuto," Hanataro protested. "If I don't fight him, the harassment from the eleventh squad will be worse than before."

"Tell everyone that looks up to you as a role model of your determination to go on a suicide mission just to prevent a few mean-spirited pranks," she said, without a hint of anger in her voice despite how obvious it was she disapproved. She wasn't relenting, and Hanataro knew that his protest was bothering her more than anything. It was an unwritten rule of his division to never argue with Retsu.

"I'm sorry, Captain," Hanataro bowed respectfully. "But I don't want you to stop the fight."

"Come with me," her voice had a slight infliction that hinted towards her annoyance, but never did she seem to become too angry. "If you wish to fight Ikkaku, I will not be in your way. However, I will supervise the fight along with Captain Zaraki, to ensure that you will be safe."

"Thank you, Captain Unohana," Hanataro bowed again.

The Captain smiled softly, feeling almost a little proud that someone in her division would be so brave as to fight their problems rather than trying to have her fight their battles in place of themselves. Retsu didn't mind being there to help the members of her division, seeing as they weren't very powerful in reality, but if one could stand up on his own two feet, she felt like a parent when their child was just starting to ride bicycles without training wheels; Proud yet afraid that the new experience would result in a crash.

Ikkaku was at the training dojo, talking to his Captain, exchanging stories of intense battles with bad jokes littered in the speech that caused both him and Kenpachi to laugh loudly despite their cheesy nature. Kenpachi grinned as he saw Retsu walk in with Hanataro following as a shadow. "Hey, Captain Unohana, what brings you here?"

"Hello, Captain Zaraki," she bowed ever so slightly and smiled. It wasn't in her nature to bow deeply to those who were so violent and loud such as Kenpachi. If it weren't for her naturally polite and tame nature, she would skip such a formality with a man she couldn't respect entirely. "It appears that two of our underlings have an agreement to battle each other." She looked at Ikkaku with controlled disdain, only noticeable if one wanted to see it.

Kenpachi looked over to Ikkaku, who was grinning his impossibly wide and feral grin. "You know, Hana, I thought you were going to chicken out of it."

Hanataro looked down and stuttered a response. "I couldn't do that."

Kenpachi was confused though. "Why would you want to fight someone from the fourth division. He gets beat up by the weak idiots that don't even have officer seats."

"You're the one who told me his zanpakuto was interesting, Captain," Ikkaku answered and picked up his blade to fight.

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"That was. . ." Ikkaku shook his head. "Horrible."

There weren't many in the room, just the Captains, the two fighting, and Yumichika as well as Yachiru, who came in with the promise of Ikkaku's spiritual pressure indicating a fight.

Yumichika smiled, "It's a record for a victory for you, Ikkaku. You'll be hard pressed to beat that time you made in the battle."

Captain Unohana sighed and mumbled softly to herself, "Maybe if his Shikai would've been released."

"You mean the bastard was holding back on me?" Ikkaku asked, Retsu's comment not falling upon dead ears. He glared accusingly at the unconscious seventh seat lasted under a minute before he conked out.

"No. I forget the exact mechanics of his zanpakuto, but the Shikai will not release with a command like most. In any event, he would've lost to your techniques," the Captain walked over to her fallen seventh seat, and lifted him gently. "I guess this means your division will go back to their normal antics?"

Although maybe he should have predicted Hanataro's telling of their "deal," Ikkaku was a bit surprised that she knew. He shook his head. "I want to fight Hanataro again when he uses his Shikai."

"It's a big boom!" Yachiru said playfully, popping out of no where behind Ikkaku. She had a habit of doing that just when Ikkaku wasn't expecting it, and nearly every time, she gave him a heart attack.

The wounds that Hanataro had suffered surprisingly would hardly even need attention. A few of the cuts should be bandaged, but others would heal faster if they were left alone and allowed to breathe. Captain Unohana picked up the injured man, who had fainted from a blow with the blunt side of Ikkaku's unreleased blade and excused herself, commenting to Ikkaku that another fight wouldn't be a good idea.

"This isn't going to have an end," she sighed once out of earshot.

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	3. Chapter 3

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Even with Captain Unohana's treatment, Hanataro knew he'd be sore for several days. The open wounds would be closed by tomorrow, but the bruises which were black and littered all over his body would last at least a few weeks. His fight had ended before he knew it had started really, and Ikkaku landed a few good blows as he didn't see any reason to hold back at all just because he was fighting someone from the medical relief squads. He was someone who had gotten Captain Zaraki's attention, after all. According to Retsu, Ikkaku never felt the need to even use the sharp side of his sword. That only made the seventh seat feel even more horrible for losing in such a stupid and uneventful way. It was so anti-climatic, and he was sure it was as painful to watch him stumble about without so much as a clue on how to prepare a stance as it was to feel the beating and it's after effects, not to mention he had a horrible feeling that his ordeal wasn't going to be over after the meaningless beating. His stomach lurched at those thoughts, he knew without being told that he'd have to deal with Ikkaku several more times before he got away completely.

Whether he wanted to go out on the streets alone after dark or not (which he definitely did not), he had to make it to the fourth division's barracks after his Captain dismissed him. It wasn't that he was afraid of the dark, or anything. He might be the jumpy type, but only after so many years of abuse from others who were considerably stronger than him. He wasn't afraid of the dark and the scary shadows lurking about every corner, but the dark was something he worried about as being a shroud that covered and concealed enemies. Rather than baseless fear, Hanataro was concerned that some of the eleventh division members knew he'd be out at night with no protection and were waiting to get revenge on the one who had made them run from their third seat and be embarrassed. Paranoid was a good word to describe how he felt, because his fear was a bit out there, seeing as they were all self-obsessed and uninformed brutes, and almost baseless. However, at the same time anyone who was embarrassed and prideful were always eager to jump at revenge.

The walk to his quarters from Retsu's office was a rather long one, going around quite a bit of corners and what not to get to his section of the barracks, and by the time he got back to his small room it was near complete darkness outside. He unlocked the door to see Ikkaku sitting on the opened window's ledge, lined with what little light a waning crest could provide, and Hanataro was nearly killed by a heart attack.

"Ikka-"

"Hey, why did you hold back?" Ikkaku asked accusingly, jumping down from the ledge to intimidate the other with his size. "If I wanted a lame ass fight with someone who wouldn't have been interesting I would've gotten an unseated member from my division."

Hanataro back up a few feet, seeing that the bald man wasn't exactly happy with him. "I didn't hold back, I told you I was weak!"

"You have a Shikai, and you didn't use it. Why?" Ikkaku glared. What Retsu said earlier he passed off as a lie to protect someone from her division, a zanpakuto with a Shikai that doesn't release with its name and phrase? He'd never heard of something like that.

"Well-"

"And don't give me some bullshit lie."

Hanataro stumbled over his words, not knowing how to explain the unique way his zanpakuto released to someone who wasn't exactly an open mind. A demonstration seemed to be the most fitting thing. "Do you have a scratch or bruise anywhere?"

"I asked you a question!" Ikkaku hissed.

"I know!" Hanataro looked down and pulled out his zanpakuto, his hand shaking so much he could hardly unsheathe it. "I'll show you why I couldn't use my Shikai. Just, show me a wound that you have and you'll understand afterward."

Ikkaku stepped forward and held out his arm, which had a flurry of old scars and one fresh wound, a bite mark from the eleventh division's short-tempered lieutenant. Hanataro brought down his sword on the mark and it disappeared, a tiny amount of red smoke coming from it and a gauge going up on it a very minute amount. Lifting his arm to light, he saw the bite was gone. "What was that?"

"My zanpakuto's power. When the meter fills, it goes into Shikai mode."

"I see," Ikkaku bluffed. It was actually still quite confusing even though he just witnessed the power. There was nothing that made sense about the demonstration.

"I'm sorry, but could you leave?" Hanataro asked weakly.

"On a condition."

"What?"

"You're fighting me again, and I'll make sure you can use your Shikai then."

Hanataro wasn't particularly happy to hear he would have to endure another beating from the brute, but he nodded regardless. There were worse things than agreeing to a fight, such as making Ikkaku mad by disagreeing and dealing with him attacking in a fit of rage right then and there, which he was surely capable of.

"This time, not around the Captains either. Mine didn't much care, but yours would've stepped into the fight in a second if she thought I was going to do something."

Hanataro didn't like the idea of not having protection around as he fought a bloodthirsty brute. "She didn't step into the fight, though. She only was there to keep the fight tame and heal me afterward."

"Don't argue."

Hanataro lowered his head sheepishly. "I can't guarantee anything, she learned about my agreement to fight you without me telling her. I mean, she didn't know the whole thing, but she knew that I met with you and made some kind of deal. Plus, she's my Captain, I can't lie if she figures out again and asks so-"

The eyes that Ikkaku possessed glared dangerously at Hanataro, making it clear that the ordeal wasn't negotiable. "I don't want a bunch of annoying people watching my fight. They only get in the way, got it?"

"Yeah," the medic lowered his gaze so he wouldn't have to look at the much more muscular man.

"Let's see. The injuries you have aren't really a problem. We'll fight in the old training grounds tomorrow, as soon as you get done with work."

"Tomorrow-" Hanataro began to protest.

"See you then!" Ikkaku cut off and jumped out of the window he came in from. He didn't want to deal with another word of protest.

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	4. Chapter 4

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When you are looking forward to something that is scheduled to happen later in the day, invariably, you will feel as if a minute drags on for an hour and an hour seems more like a day. However, being much the opposite, if you dread something that you must be a part of, minutes are more like seconds, hours more like minutes. Hanataro usually found something calming about his janitorial duties, being able to do what he must to keep everything running smoothly at an easy pace while enjoying the company of his cheerful subordinates. Days were rarely long for him unless he had a plan to go out with friends or do something interesting. The day was going by at such an incredibly fast pace now that he was afraid of being part of yet another fight, he tried to slow everything down, be calm, not let Captain Unohana notice anything strange about him again.

If she asked him what was bothering him again, he couldn't lie even if he wanted to. She knew when one of her subordinates tried to lie or hide something, especially when they talked directly to her. Hanataro was actually a good liar, him being in the medical community made him hone his abilities to not betray any information with his countenance, but there was no chance of him fooling an empathetic person with great interest in protecting her own. One false move and he would be called into her office again, and she would be condescending and compassionate about the situation in the way only she could ever manage, and go with him again to the fight. Then Ikkaku would be angry and demand to have yet another fight, threatening Hanataro with something completely new now that he didn't go through with what he was told.

Somehow, he succeeded in going through the whole day without a single person stopping to ask him if he was okay, but that was more than anything the result of his normal demeanor, nervous and outrageously clumsy. Being made more anxious by the impending fight, he only acted like himself more-so than when he was fine, if that makes any sense at all. He wasn't called to speak to his Captain, not even close friends in the division said anything about his behavior. For once, his shy and clumsy nature paid off.

The old training grounds that Ikkaku referred to the previous night were actually currently used for drills in Hanataro's squad, rushing to special mannequins and administering care to them. It was a weekly practice that all unseated members of the fourth division were rigidly drilled on until they showed the skill that their Captain expects from them. Going there was normal for Hanataro, because he enjoyed the company of new recruits and often watched over practice. He was actually a volunteer that cleaned the field and taught most of the new recruits when he wasn't required to be doing anything else. For that reason, he was able to make it to the grounds with no difficulty, taking a little known shortcut and thinking maybe if he showed up first and someone else walked by before Ikkaku, he could have them stay and maybe deter the brute from fighting seeing as they would have company.

No such luck. Ikkaku was already there with Lieutenant Iba, drinking sake together. Neither of them seemed drunk yet, although Iba's face was slightly red, but Ikkaku seemed completely sober and Hanataro was very grateful for that. As if Ikkaku wasn't irrational enough to begin with, when he was to be drunk then he'd really be a pain for someone as gentle as Hanataro. Plus the well-known fact that the third seat of the combat division became even more violent than normal when he was drunk. "Ikkaku, I thought you didn't want anyone to be here."

Ikkaku looked over to the seventh seat with a frown. "I didn't, but the meter thing on your zanpakuto is really low. Ain't it?"

It was strange for him to point that out, Hanataro thought, but he nodded. The meter was as full as the bite mark it had healed yesterday allowed it to be, which was hardly anything at all.

The Lieutenant stood up and pulled half his Shihakusho* down to show a large wound going diagonal across his chest. Ikkaku took the whole top off his uniform to show his torso riddled with injuries, most somewhat small but quite a few could be a serious problem if left untreated. The injuries didn't make him sound subdued or as if he were in pain at all though. Are people in the eleventh division just used to having five inch gashes at all times running all over their bodies? "This enough to release your Shikai?"

"Ikkaku!" Hanataro ran over. "Lieutenant Iba! What were you guys doing?"

Iba shrugged. "Just sparring a bit. Your sword can handle these, right?"

"Of course," was his concerned answer. It didn't matter that he didn't want to fight, he was a medic and these deep gashes in both of the men's bodies were a serious concern. He pulled his zanpakuto out of its sheath, and began tending to wounds, which was maybe against his better judgment. If he never was able to release his Shikai, Ikkaku probably wouldn't bother fighting him again. There wasn't room for worrying about that, however. Some of the wounds they'd caused themselves during their unrestrained spar would be good candidates for infection if left untreated.

By the time the serious wounds had been healed, Hisagomaru's meter was very close to being full. More reluctantly, Hanataro proceeded to heal the smaller wounds littered across the bulky bodies of the two drinking partners.

It released into its scalpel form and Ikkaku looked rather curiously at it. "That's your Shikai."

Iba shook his head dismayed. "Be nice, Ikkaku. He's part of the medical squad."

"I told you I wasn't strong! It's not something I can help!"

"Captain said-"

For maybe the first time in his life, Hanataro impulsively stood up to those who were considerably stronger than him and showed the true ability of his Shikai while they skepically examined the scalpel-like blade as if it were as useless as before the transformation. He just couldn't stand their rude ignorance, but he didn't much think of the consequences until after the fact. The blast was much stronger than he had thought it would be when he decided spontaneously to let the energy go, blowing both of them away without warning and causing a fissure in the ground as wide as ten feet at the most damaged point. The two brutes broke through a few trees, while Hanataro got the impression he should run before they had time to recover.

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*Shihakusho = Standard Soul Reaper uniform. It has a weird name when translated to English, so, you know. It's like "Garment of Dead Souls", so you put that in the same context. Plus, names of things are best left untranslated when it sounds awkward like that, don't you think? And literal translations so often don't do justice. (I won't use honorifics or any of that, but for weapons, foods, garments and just in general names of things I normally leave in Japanese.)


	5. Chapter 5

This was supposed to be up yesterday, but not only was I busy, the site wouldn't let me upload any new documents. I don't know if it's just my computer or something was wrong with the site, but oh well.

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Anyone that could protect Hanataro from the inevitable wrath of Ikkaku by the time he got back to the fourth squad barracks was settling down to sleep. Isane was who he thought of going to first because of her obviously being the highest ranking besides the captain, was the first to pop into Hanataro's mind. Not to mention that she was probably awake, knowing that she tried to get as little sleep as possible, but it was apparent to Hanataro that her assistance would sooner make things worse than better. Any high-ranking member of the eleventh division could fight her without so much as stumbling in their pursuit, easily being victorious as well. Then on top of that she would tell Retsu without fail. It wasn't a pleasant situation to begin with, and to have his Captain angry with him for not telling her of the rematch wasn't going to be anything going towards positive.

So instead of running to have one of his friends worry about him and get hurt in the process of trying to protect him, he went to his room as if to resign himself to his fate. As he might have thought, Ikkaku's spiritual pressure was emanating from the room, he realized before he even put his hand on the door. It was what he deserved for the outburst, he thought, and pushed the door open, immediately bowing. "I'm very sorry, Ikkaku!"

"Normally the loser bows to the one who beat him," the man answered, sitting on the window ledge as he had the previous day. His gaze was condescending, despite his words which were supposed to be praising.

"I didn't win, I just-"

"You beat me. Sure, I wasn't even expecting an attack, but I knew your zanpakuto had some real power once it was released. Don't argue."

"I'd like it if you didn't challenge me to another fight," Hanataro said almost too lightly to be heard. He thought briefly that maybe he would have greatly preferred another fight, than to have a stare down or instigate anger at a time like this.

"Fine. But that's the only favor you're getting out of me for winning," Ikkaku conceded. It was unbelievable for him to say something contradicting his actions for the past few days so simply. Maybe because he lost, that was part of the eleventh division's many unique codes, to honor the winner's wishes.

But like all things that were too good to be true, this one was too. Ikkaku pushed himself to his feet and went over to where Hanataro was standing. "Who the hell do you think you are, hiding in the back of your division when you easily have the power to fight someone like me and actually knock me over like that."

"I'm sorry, Ikkaku-"

Ikkaku was a full foot taller than the seventh seat, and considerably more bulky. It was no great wonder why Hanataro was literally shaking as he drew closer. "You know, the last time someone landed a hit on me like that," he thought for a bit. "Maybe a few months ago, and I fight more times a day than you've ever fought in your entire life." He had Hanataro against a wall, and he conveyed so many mixed messages in his voice that, at one moment he may have been telling an anecdote to a close friend and another he may have been threatening to take a life.

"I really am-"

"I won't fight you anymore, but you're not getting rid of me."

Not getting rid of? "Ikkaku, what do you-"

"You're interesting. Anyone that's strong has got to be worth my time," he said. If what he was saying was what he meant, what was the strange infliction in his voice? He seemed so angry, yet at the same time friendly, like he was confused at how he should feel towards Hanataro. Was that just how someone as violent as he was showed affection, or attempted to show it? "Stop shaking, by the way. I didn't even bring Hozukimaru to show I'm not gonna hurt you. Well, unless you piss me off, but you're not the type to push his luck like that."

Instead of calming Hanataro, his words only caused more fear. Without his zanpakuto, Ikkaku could just as easily kill an armed relief squad leader as with it. Hanataro none the less tried to make himself calm down, trusting what the man was saying at face value rather than over-examining the situation. Ikkaku was the type of man who if he said there wasn't anything to be afraid of, there really wasn't. If he wanted to kill anyone he would've done so earlier instead of playing it out like some sadistic game. Mayuri might prolong an encounter of life or death, but Ikkaku was too straightforward and even too dumb to think of doing something like that. "T-thank you, Ikkaku."

"Don't go doing anything stupid to get the rest of my division on you again, all right?"

"What?"

"Well, they're still scared shitless that if they hurt anyone from the fourth squad they're gonna have to deal with me. I don't really feel like enforcing that now that we've fought and won't fight again, but they're not gonna try anything unless they find out I don't care anymore."

Hanataro managed a smile, as that was the kindest gesture he'd ever heard come from someone from the eleventh division. Maybe he had some of them pegged wrong?

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"Hanataro! Did you see the third seat of the eleventh division?" Isane asked, running up to the smaller man. She was obviously excited to see someone like him getting injured without knowing how any of it came about. "He won't tell me how it happened, but I treated him! I don't know what it could be. Maybe he was sparring? But an explosion caused the injury! He's so reckless, I don't know why we can't just turn him away when he walks through the door sometimes!"

Laughing nervously, Hanataro agreed that her guess was probably correct. He decided already not to speak a word of what happened with Ikkaku and just pray that the eleventh division stayed afraid of a punishment that wouldn't come. Telling someone as innocent and loud mouthed as Isane would be a sure-fire way to get the entire eleventh division making up for lost time picking on medics.

Isane, who almost never left the side of her Captain, wasn't quite ready to leave Hanataro yet. Maybe it was just in her nature to be clingy with anyone who would tolerate talking to her kindly? "Do you think you could look over the rest of Ikkaku's treatment? Captain Unohana would like me to accompany her for a meeting, and Ikkaku's bandages need changed, as well as salve. Just the basic stuff."

"Of course, Lieutenant," Hanataro replied and bowed, though he would have rather avoided treating Ikkaku as he would avoid fighting him. The man, although surprisingly kind when you gave him a chance, was still violent and overall very frightening. More in his eyes than anything, there was a malicious glint in them, and his smile spoke of insanity. Needless to say, Hanataro wasn't the type to enjoy such quirks.

When he got to Ikkaku's room in the fourth division hospital, separate from anyone else since they weren't pressed for space in times that weren't excessively violent, he started setting up what he would need. Salve, bandages, and the like. Ikkaku was asleep, or at least he seemed to be.

"Ikkaku?" Hanataro asked, knowing from experience that an eleventh division member who was woken from sleep was liable to attack whoever was touching them, as a defense or just plain paranoia after being on the battlefield for a lifetime. "Ikkaku, are you-"

"I'm up," he replied. "This place is depressing though, there's nothing to do."

"Sorry. I need to change your bandages."

"What about that chick-"

"Lieutenant Isane is with the Captain at a meeting and asked me to treat you. I'm really sorry about this."

"I didn't even want to come. Yumichika told me I should, but I think that's because I was starting to get into a fight with our Lieutenant and he didn't want to be part of the clean-up crew for the aftermath," Ikkaku sighed and looked at the ceiling. "I don't even need to be treated by anyone for wounds like this, you know. Hell, I could fight at my best with these little scratches, and everyone in my division knows it. Yumichika just likes to be a pain in the ass."

"Fight with your Lieutenant? That's dangerous, isn't it?"

"What? In the eleventh division, standing up to your superiors isn't so bad, so long as you can back up whatever you say. I've never even seen our Lieutenant fight for real though, but to be in Captain's "All Right" list, you can't be weak. I guess it could be dangerous, now that you say that. I just never bothered thinking about it like that. I just thought about her being a pain in the ass."

Hanataro wished he was able to stand up to things he disagreed with so easily, but if it came from even his subordinates, he wasn't ever able to argue. "Sorry, I'm getting side-tracked. I have to fix your bandages-"

"Go ahead, but that doesn't mean you can't talk, does it?" Ikkaku asked and threw his blanket off. He was wearing his uniform's standard *hakama and nothing else but bandages that were soaked through at certain spots with blood.

"I guess I could. Sorry."

"Stop apologizing," Ikkaku said and glared. He hated when people apologized every two minutes for things that weren't even wrong. This was the third or fourth time in succession.

"Sorry – I mean, um..."

"Just change the bandages," Ikkaku suggested, a little less forceful. He'd have to teach this guy how to stand up for himself, it was sad to see someone so self-conscious. Ikkaku almost felt as if it were his fault, seeing as his division more than likely caused a lot of the thoughts of self-doubt that Hanataro possessed.

"Right," he replied lowly and started removing Ikkaku's bandages. "No one's been complaining about the eleventh division. Thank you so much for helping."

"Tch. Don't thank me, I didn't do anything."

"But you did. You didn't have to tell everyone to go easy on all of us, but you did."

"I just told them not to lay a hand on you, they don't know who's Hanataro or who's not. They're morons that don't even know if you're a girl or boy."

"Well, I still appreciate your help," Hanataro said and threw the bandages that were brittle with dried blood in the waste basket and started cleaning the wounds that had just been sitting and getting filthy from the wet cloth. Ikkaku winced a little bit at the cold disinfectant. "Sorry – I mean..."

"Why are you acting like a whipped dog? It's not your fault the stuff is cold, you know."

Hanataro looked down. He had Ikkaku lay on his stomach so his back could be wiped down sufficiently, or at least that's the reason he gave Ikkaku. It was a lot easier doing this without having to look at his face. "I just, well..."

"You don't have to be afraid of me just cause I'm in the eleventh division, or is it something else?"

"Something else. Kind of."

Ikkaku turned his head to look at Hanataro, while not moving his body enough to make it difficult for the medic to wipe the injuries down with whatever he was using to clean them. "What?"

While he continued to clean inside a few wounds that had too much dried blood incrusted in them, Hanataro thought of the best way to phrase what he wanted to say. "Your eyes, I think."

"What about them?"

"They're scary. Like your Captain's," Hanataro was actually kind of nervous to say all this, but he didn't think that Ikkaku would get mad if all he was doing was answering the question he was asked. More than likely, if he lied then Ikkaku would get angry at him rather than if he told the truth.

"I can see that," Ikkaku replied and turned his head forward, resting on his chin on the pillow and staring at the bed board as if he suddenly lost interest in the conversation as a whole, or was trying to think.

"That's all?" Hanataro asked, plainly surprised that he wasn't going to be questioned or yelled at, or anything. He threw away the disposable towel he'd been using to clean up and got the bandages out.

"Yeah. I can see you being afraid of my eyes. Even Yumichika says that they look creepy," Ikkaku paused and yawned, obviously having only passing interest in the conversation but continuing it regardless. "They aren't as scary without the warpaint-"

"I thought it was eyeliner," Hanataro said, rather innocently. He didn't expect it to make Ikkaku mad, but that was the inevitable result.

"Traditional fucking warpaint," Ikkaku hissed threateningly. "Got it?"

"Yes, Ikkaku," Hanataro said weakly and backed up a few steps to avoid an impulsive blow from the third seat. "Sorry."

"There you go. That's how you use that word, when you actually do something stupid," Ikkaku said with a smile. "Not at every single thing that happens, your fault or not, okay?"

"All right. . ."

"Are you going to put the bandages on or what? Yumichika's going to think I didn't actually come here if you just clean the wounds and send me on my way."

"Oh, yeah. Sorr- um. I'll do that now."

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Hakama are the pants to the standard Shihakusho. Or, technically the uniform itself is a special thing-a-ma-bob all its own and I'm not sure if that's right to call the pants hakama, but they highly resemble hakama? I don't know, if someone does know, correct me. If not, I'm going to assume that I didn't make a mistake.


	6. Chapter 6

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"You're quiet today," Yumichika commented with a smirk as he sat next to Ikkaku in the training dojo. Very uncharacteristically, Ikkaku was sitting on the sidelines watching, in his own words, "A bunch of absolute weaklings try to fight while they were barely able to hold a sword right". "Aren't you going to teach them a lesson, for calling themselves members of the eleventh division and being so pathetic?"

"That's boring," Ikkaku answered. Yumichika was his best friend and he loved spending the day talking to the eccentric, but he wished that he could be alone at the moment.

He was already focused on teaching Hanataro to develop a backbone. Besides him preoccupying his thoughts with the seemingly impossible task, it was pointless to have at the new recruits the day they enter the eleventh division. His only techniques happened to be pure brute force, and that had proved to be counter-productive in the past. They'd only start to be afraid of their superiors if on their first day they were met up with the naturally frightening Ikkaku, rather than becoming the arrogant and blood lusting men expected of the division they were put into.

"So I have to? That wouldn't be very beautiful, for me to have to straighten out a bunch of ugly weaklings fresh from the academy. And you love slapping sense into the new guys! You've always done it ever since Captain said it was too boring for him to do!"

"I only do it after they've spent a week getting the general feel of the place. 'Sides, I'm already busy."

"You sure look like it," Yumichika said sarcastically. Ikkaku hadn't moved from his spot on the floor since he showed up that morning.

"I mean, I've got something else I want to do. Just got to figure out how to do it."

"What is it?" Yumichika asked the obvious.

However innocent the question was, Ikkaku had no intention to answer it. Even if he said the bare minimum that had to do with the situation he had chosen to put himself into, Yumichika would use insinuate from even the smallest things Ikkaku mentioned and somehow know everything. The moment Yumichika got into some of his affairs, there happened to be no way to get the man out, so long as he had nothing that interested him going on at the time. Ikkaku chose to opt out completely and hope to be spared. "None of your business."

"It's about that fourth division guy, then?"

How does he do that? Ikkaku would never cease wondering how Yumichika was so skilled at mind reading. "Fuck you."

"What? Right now?"

"You know that's not what I meant," Ikkaku grumbled.

"Oh, come on. It's written all over your face you want to get close to this guy. You are always so weird. When someone beats you, you can't help but obsess over them."

"He didn't beat me, he got me off guard."

"The difference being?"

Grumbling again, Ikkaku answered. "Not shit."

"So, what's the problem?"

"He's afraid of me."

"Duh."

"What do I do?"

"Break the new guys," Yumichika said with a mischievous grin, pointing to the arrivals.

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New students from the academy meant a lot of work for the fourth division. They were the most specialized division, which meant everyone required a few weeks of training before they could be counted on to apply bandages without supervision. Technique was vital, and the fourth division were barely a step above sewer rights and they couldn't afford mistakes. Before anyone could join the fourth division, they had to show a talent with kido and honest determination, as well as not being very apt in combat. Most of them were very kind and caring people, but with that said, they were also very self-conscious and easily frightened. Hanataro was the most sympathetic with this group, and therefore was perfect for the new arrivals. To be counted on to train new arrivals was a very demanding job, and he was relieved of janitorial duties for a week to teach each new flood of division four members the basics until they could build confidence. They'd be transferred over to higher officers to learn more advanced techniques after they became comfortable with the most basic kidos and first aid.

In the same training area that he had fought Ikkaku, Hanataro began training the clueless medics in the making, careful to avoid the damage in the ground he'd created, and equally careful to avoid informing the new members that their instructor had the capabilities for that destruction else they would be frightened. It was mainly him teaching them all basics for the majority of the day, such as just the right amount of pressure for bandages, the application of antiseptic for all types of wounds, the applications of tourniquets, and the absolute lowest and most basic healing kidos that would ever be required of them. After they made enough progress for him to think drilling was an appropriate end of the day, he set specially made mannequins out for the students to practice on. There wasn't an air of rushing among them, Hanataro stressed they take their time with practice until they could do everything well before worrying about being fast.

And although the day thus far had been painfully slow, what with teaching clueless students that didn't even know the difference between a *sphygmomannometer (blood pressure meter) and tourniquet how to successfully tell between them and employ both, everything was going as well as could be expected. Or at least it was until one of the few other specialized divisions, naturally being the eleventh, came to pay a visit. The fifth seat, who deserved a title of Lieutenant more than being a lowly seated officer, was leading his group of new members. Hanataro began to wonder; Did even the newest group of the eleventh division just naturally have a hatred for the fourth, or were they being taught that in their first day so they'd be ready to live amongst their partners?

Seeing the crowd of dirty brutes, lead by someone completely out of place, the new arrivals of the fourth division stopped to look up at them. Hanataro spoke up, masking any fear in his own voice as best as he could. "Yumichika, what's-"

"I was just thinking how boring it was to beat the eleventh division's mentality into new and pointless people. Don't you share that pain?"

"I-"

"It's such an ugly process. These arrivals are all so useless, slow, weak, the list goes on. How am I supposed to make them into something acceptable?"

"Wait-"

"It's so horrible!"

Hanataro gave up speaking, Yumichika didn't even seem to register someone else was talking. The fifth seat went on. "I thought I could demonstrate a tradition in our group."

Hanataro wondered what the vain man meant by tradition. The question was answered as Yumichika put his hand on his zanpakuto's hilt. "See, they need to learn the hierarchy system around here. I figure you warned these guys already of the eleventh division, but in all honesty, words don't do justice to the actual event, do they?"

"Yumichika, what are you doing?"

The untrained medics all backed up, ignoring that they should be working on becoming suitable to their division's requirements in favor of extending their lives past to the next morning, if at all possible.

"Just getting in the daily exercise, and teaching these new people their place, of course," Yumichika said with an irrepressible smirk, pulling out his sword and lifting it to the sky.

"Put that away," Ikkaku appeared behind his friend, grabbing the lithe man's wrist and pushing it down. "The hier-whatever, I guess mean who's in charge?"

"Very good," Yumichika said and yanked his arm away, sheathing his sword indignantly. He acted as if he was insulted at being stopped by his brutish friend.

"Then," Ikkaku glared daggers at the new eleventh division members. "Know I'm always in charge above any officer."

Yumichika crossed his arms and huffed, while the rest of the division's members backed up a full ten feet and instead of defending themselves, asked not to be hurt. Ikkaku grinned and told Yumichika he still had a lot of work to do with this group, which the other man nodded and walked away, uninterested in his previous task of teaching the new members in favor of going home after a long day of lazing about. Ikkaku then dismissed the one's he'd just threatened so they wouldn't be a hinderance.

"Ikkaku, you-" Hanataro began.

"If you mention 'Sorry', or 'I didn't mean to bother you', or 'Thank you so much', I'm going to drill you in the face with Hozukimaru."

"Um. . ."

Walking over to the smaller man, who was stumbling for something to say with his three most used phrases being taken away from him, Ikkaku grinned. To the new members of the fourth division he said; "I'll make sure you don't have to worry about those idiots. Stop shaking and acting like you're all about to piss yourselves."

"What was that all about?" Hanataro finally said, thinking of something non-apologetic to say.

"Oh, Yumichika's way to show the division's newest members how to build confidence, I guess. I don't pretend to understand everything that's going on in his head, all right?" Ikkaku lied through his teeth. Yumichika always did know how to be fantastic at flattery, making someone as violent and uncaring as Ikkaku to look like someone who was kind or chivalrous was a miracle. "We really should be beating them with some iron beams or something to weed out the weaklings, but I don't know. I guess it's nice to have some suck-ups around. They get the paperwork done, and that kind of shit."

"I see," Hanataro answered, not really understanding much of the violent division's customs, but appreciating Ikkaku coming to his rescue for the second time in the past week or so.

"Hey, I know you gotta get back to the new guys for your division, but I was wonderin' if you wanted to come over to my place tonight. I'm having Iba and Yumichika over, I was thinkin' I could invite someone else, since I always hang out with those two and they get boring after a while."

"I don't think-"

"The correct answer, before you finish, is, 'I'd don't think I'd miss it for the world. Thank you.'"

"Well, I-"

Ikkaku sighed and rolled his eyes. "You don't already have plans, do you?"

"Not really but-"

"Then whenever you finish working, come over. Captain Zaraki or anyone else you think is scary isn't gonna be there. Unless you think I'm scary, but you can get that, right?"

Hanataro managed a small smile. "If it's all right, I'll go. I'll be here until late cleaning up, though," Hanataro answered with a small smile.

"See ya, then," he said and disappeared before Hanataro could change his mind.

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*sphygmomannometer = a blood pressure meter (mentioned already), it includes the cuff and the little device that reads the blood pressure. I'm not sure if there would even be any in the Soul Society, if they would use an older version of this device that would be called something else. I only knew the term because my friend uses one on a regular basis, as does my aunt and uncle both, whom I spend quite a bit of time with. Also, the reason I put this in comparison to a tourniquet, if you research what surgical tourniquets look like, and what modern sphygmomannometers look like, they are somewhat similar in appearance. Of course the latter had a bunch of parts to it and a tourniquet is fairly simple. . . They're new, and I'm going to assume they aren't given a briefing before they're put into the division and Hanataro has to be patient and suffer through the explanations.

I'm so curious, though. I really don't think the Soul Society would have them (and if they did, they certainly wouldn't be exactly the same ones I know, and probably not even too similar), but they have to measure blood pressure somehow, don't they? Anyone seen a ma-bobber in one of the episodes? And do they even use surgical tourniquets? I don't know! I'm sticking to what I do know, though.


	7. Chapter 7

I'm just going through a bit of a writers block right now and I can't write a lot really (I have a bit of a buffer. Hopefully I'll be through with this writer's block by the time we reach the end of my buffer).

PM me if you want to talk about this story (which helps kill writers block, so it would be appreciated).

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It wasn't even dark by the time Yumichika showed up to help Ikkaku in setting up his room for the company. He wanted to get in some one-on-one talking, to ensure honest answers, or at least improve his chance of getting them. It was eating him up. Ikkaku was acting strangely, wanting to spend a single moment with someone from the fourth division, when before he avoided them like the plague when he could help it.

"Why are you so interested in such a boring person, Ikkaku?" Yumichika finally asked as he helped his friend put the drinks and cups out for tonight.

"He's. . ." Ikkaku didn't know what to say about it. He knew how he felt. It was like the first time he saw Byakuya Kuchiki, wanting to know what made someone so different from him tick. It was the same feeling he'd had for Yumichika before they became close, completely different from admiration or even respect. He just didn't understand someone who was different from him. Normally he didn't much care to understand, but if they were stronger than him then he became obsessed with wanting to know everything about them. Hanataro really wasn't stronger than him, but he was strong. And polar opposite to Ikkaku's hot-tempered personality.

"Do you like him?" Yumichika asked, hinting towards a romantic intent without saying it directly.

"Don't be an idiot. I just, well, you know how I asked you out for some drinks when we met?"

"Of course."

"It's like that. I just want to know if he's really like that all the time, nice and all, or if he's just nervous. It doesn't have anything to do with that. It could, I guess. . . But it doesn't now so shut up!"

Yumichika shrugged and put some of the finishing touches on arranging the table to it would look put together, but not "overdone". He thought about the lay-out before he said anything else to Ikkaku. He'd already kicked most of the trash left by Ikkaku into other rooms so the floor was visible, but he was still obviously dissatisfied. "Let's see. I like how that looks. I wish we had something nicer to use though, I don't want Hanataro to know you use such ugly cups. Of course Iba doesn't mind, but-"

"It's fine, Yumichika."

"I guess so. But if you want Hanataro to relax, maybe you should have bought something to drink that isn't so strong. He'll be afraid to drink this sake, it tastes awful."

"It hardly tastes like anything."

"And it burns horribly when it goes down your throat," Yumichika went on. "I might have something more palatable."

"Just shut up, would you?" Ikkaku rolled his eyes. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

A tentative knock came at the door. Both men in the room knew it wasn't Iba, because at some point that man had forgotten how to knock. Ikkaku went to answer it. Hanataro stood there in his uniform, happy to see he wasn't the only one who hadn't bothered to change out of it, though Ikkaku was out of his jacket and instead was wearing a slightly oversized white wife-beater. "I'm not early, am I?"

"No, Iba's late," Yumichika replied with a smile. He was beaming like always, and Hanataro wondered if one day he would lose his mind from all the pent-up emotions he must be storing. The man was never anything but happy, disgusted or mad, and the latter two were only interspersed while he was around those who he felt were ugly. Then again, people in the eleventh division never were the expressive type, Ikkaku's range of emotions, for example, went all the way from murderously happy to extremely pissed off with few things in between and he didn't seem like one of the people that would blow a gasket.

Ikkaku went over to sit at one of the tatami mats around his table. He poured himself a large glass, it would be the first and long-awaited drink of the day. Hanataro followed the host and sat next to him, not touching the drinks. Sandwiching Hanataro between Ikkaku and himself, Yumichika sat next to the fourth division's jumpy member.

"You guys help yourselves, I've got plenty to drink," Ikkaku said, realizing he was the only one touching the sake as of yet.

"That's okay, Ikkaku. I don't take alcohol very well and-"

Ikkaku ignored both Hanataro's protest, and the fact that he knew Yumichika didn't like sake that wasn't flavored, pouring both of them a cup. "One little shot won't hurt ya. If it does, I'll take you back to your room, sound good?"

"Really, Ikkaku..." Hanataro looked down at the sake, somewhat upset. When he said he didn't handle sake well, he didn't mean he got tipsy after a sip or so. . .

"It's fine," Ikkaku insisted.

No, Hanataro thought. It's not fine.

He'd never, no matter what happened in his life, tell anyone, but before he became a Soul Reaper, and even for awhile during the early days of his career, he had a slight drinking problem. He'd been sober for such a long time, knowing if he took a drink he might not be able to keep complete control over himself. Ever since his rehabilitation program, funded by some research project that was launched by the twelfth division and overseen by mostly fourth division members, Hanataro had been doing fine.

It was pretty much a sappy story of, "They helped me, so I'm going to become a great Soul Reaper and help them" kind of thing. Maybe no one who supervised the research project expected anything from him, and in truth no one would really care as long as he didn't intermix work with drinking, but he didn't want to pick up the cup. If he did, he'd only be backtracking where he came from, but it was kind of hard to say no when the drink was right in front of him.

Okay, it was more than hard.

It was impossible.

Just, don't pick up the cup. . .

Hanataro. . . Where's your will power?

Left it at my room, I guess, Hanataro thought as he picked up the shot of sake and downed it in one gulp, surprising Ikkaku and Yumichika both by his enthusiasm that grew with each bit he drank.

By the time Iba got there, which was about an hour or so later, Ikkaku had drunk all he wanted and Hanataro was completely wasted beyond redemption, napping on the table, interspersed by brief returns to reality for another shot. Yumichika had, of course, only had two cups so he wouldn't miss any of the show and not make a fool of himself by drinking until he could only barely understand his actions like his friend.

"Got started without me, huh?" Iba asked with a grin, and skipping the cup altogether, he grabbed the bottle of sake and tried to catch up to everyone else. No one else was even capable of drinking anymore or just wasn't interested as far as he could see, so Iba didn't have to compete for the bottle, and he downed what was left. Half of what looked like their second bottle, and it was strong enough to get him drunk enough to be too dizzy to get up and get more right away.

"Don't be late next time," Ikkaku answered right away. He never got so drunk that he couldn't function well when he was around his cunning friend, Yumichika. It would be asking for some horribly mean-spirited trick that Iba would sooner help along than stop and even if Hanataro wasn't drunk to the extent that he'd be useless, he'd still be too afraid to get in the way. Yumichika wouldn't hesitate in doing anything short of mutilation (and maybe only brief hesitation at that act) to obtain a few laughs. Ikkaku made a mental note to keep track of Hanataro's well-being throughout the night with Yumichika sitting right next to him.

Hanataro, even when so drunk he couldn't speak without slurring his speech to the point where you had to second guess what he said, still wasn't the type to relax around people he didn't know too well, it seemed. His nap wasn't deep, he woke at the slightest noise or movement. Three more hours pasted where Ikkaku, Yumichika and Iba all enjoyed each others company and eventually they left, but Hanataro didn't say more than a few things throughout the night and was there even when everyone else had gone.

"Hanataro, you feelin' okay enough to go home by yourself?" Ikkaku asked after Iba, being the last to leave, closed the door behind him.

"Yeah," Hanataro replied, getting up about half way only to fall back down. Not only was he drunk enough to be severely uncoordinated, but he'd been sitting so long his legs had fallen asleep. He quickly pushed himself back up, a little better now that he expected the pins and needles. "Sorry, I'm fine."

Ikkaku didn't quite see that. "I'll walk you home anyways. A drunk is the butt of every joke around here."

"All. . . All right," Hanataro replied. His head was so light, he really didn't know what he was doing. Stumbling as he made his way to the door, he was caught by Ikkaku. It was surprising to see him move so quickly after drinking so much, but then again, he hardly seemed to be affected by the drink at all. Maybe he was just so used to alcohol that it wasn't hard for him to do things as he normally would, or maybe he just let himself sober up while he talked the night away. Hanataro pushed himself off Ikkaku and mumbled a thanks.

The night air was slightly sobering, but Hanataro was still stumbling quite a bit, until Ikkaku finally decided to just support him until they got to the small room he had. Ikkaku saw why Hanataro was so reluctant to start drinking in the beginning, though. It wasn't that he couldn't handle his alcohol, he just didn't know any restraint when he did drink.

They got to the fourth squad's barracks and, although Hanataro insisted he'd be fine from there, Ikkaku escorted him to his quarters.

"Ikkaku, would you..." Hanataro hesitated to finish once he was walked to his door. The words were so quiet that Ikkaku almost didn't pick up on them.

"What do you need?"

"Never mind, it was, well, it was stupid," Hanataro said, being shy even when extremely intoxicated. He opened the door to his room and walked inside, although when he tried to close it, Ikkaku caught it and pushed his way in.

"What do you want?"

"It was, just, I'm drunk. It was stupid, I don't want to say it."

"Say what?" Ikkaku asked, insisting upon an answer.

Hanataro put his arms around Ikkaku's neck, pulling the much taller man down for a kiss.

Ikkaku pulled away immediately. "Hanataro, what the hell are you thinking?"

"I. . . I wasn't. . ."

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Oh my, a story with more than seven chapters. I think it's going to end up as either a multiple of seven or four (because those are my favorite numbers), but I don't know. Normally things just end at seven by themselves and I don't have to plan for it but... This is all so different. I'm doing something different from Ikkaku x Yumichika, I guess that's my problem.

Here's why I don't post stories until they're finished, normally. I wanted to put Hanataro being a recovered alcoholic earlier in the story so it wasn't a "Oh and by the way since it's convenient right now" kind of thing... Eh, you guys expect crap from this site, and goodie for you, here it is. (My self-esteem was high before this. It's swimming in shit now.)

Oh, it's justification time, though. Hanataro, I think, is kind of like someone I know. If you put him around alcoholics, he will drink and then get addicted and have a hard time stopping. If you put him around a bunch of self-righteous people who tell him drinking is bad for him all the time, he's soft, he'll quit, he wants to make those around him happy. Okay? It's not that he instigated his alcohol addiction, it's that he's not a fundamentally strong person really, he gives in easily. I could totally see him as an alcoholic, but for those who can't, does my explanation kind of help? If not, oh well, it's my story and if I want to make Kenpachi give away kittens and bubblegum, I will. By some insidious plot devised by Yachiru. And then we will all laugh heartily. Or throw up.

(Whichever comes first.)


	8. Chapter 8

Writers block has died. Guess I was just going through ick for a few days.

Special thanks to Nightkill for being my beta and just all-around coolness (it's so hard to find a beta that doesn't care what you write and just focuses on fixing it. Yay for people like Nightkill!)

Oh, and for the murderer of my writers block, I do thank thee Safuuru and Earl Gray tea (but mostly Safuuru). I wish I could dub you guys a knight or something but I'm not authorized to dub people anything. . . So my internet hugs and thanks will do, yes?

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Not sleeping had harsh effects on those with frail bodies. Hanataro, despite how he normally kept his health in check, was a rather frail person altogether. He wasn't especially susceptible to illness, but he had a very lithe frame devoid as much as a functioning human could be of muscle. He didn't fight, train, or even care to make his body stronger than necessary to complete his tasks as a member of the fourth division, which really required only enough physical training as to be able to transport unconscious bodies on rare occasions. He hardly even did enough for that, so it was very evident if he didn't get his sleep. Anyone around him on a daily basis would have no trouble noticing the paper-white skin, delayed reactions, poor attempts at maintaining a smile, and bags upon bags under his eyes.

Not to mention he was a poor actor when he didn't have reason to put the utmost effort into the charade, and never could maintain a front for those who he was close to for any real amount of time. Maybe he could lie to those who didn't really know him for a bit, and even deceive friends if he wasn't under scrutiny for long, but he wasn't able to spend a whole day faking he was fine.

There were some small mercies, though. Instead of leading a class of new arrivals or doing anything that would demand a lot of attention and energy, the new recruits were given the day to study over terminology. All Hanataro was required to do at such a peaceful time was to sit at the front desk, direct people who were looking for their friends to visit, or show those with injuries which wing they should go to for treatment. It was a rather easy job, despite the drawback of being in full view of everyone, looking so obviously tired and miserable.

"Hanataro, you look pale," Yuki, a somewhat close member of Hanataro's advanced relief squad, commented. "Are you feeling well?"

"I'm. . ." Hanataro knew better than to lie when he hardly had a reason to, so he was trying to devise a half-truth that wasn't so incriminating. If he said he was feeling well, then he'd only get all the more attention for telling an obvious lie to someone who knew better than to believe that. "I'm a little under the weather; I didn't sleep well at all last night."

"That's not good. Someone as important as you to the division should always make sure to get their sleep; otherwise they won't be ready if something bad happens. You look terrible," Yuki cooed over him a bit, as typical affectionate division four members tended to do, but eventually left him to cope on his own rather than bother him while he was tired and quite possibly sick.

"Hey, Hanataro!" Iba shouted. Hanataro almost had a heart attack. The last thing he needed was a loud person like Lieutenant Iba to talk about the previous night where they spent so much time drinking. He absolutely did not want anyone who knew of his rehabilitation to know that he relapsed a bit (a lot) last night. "Are you feeling better after-"

"Don't be so loud, Lieutenant," Hanataro reprimanded. At times like these he was glad for the painkillers he had access to in the fourth division that eliminated his hangover so completely. "This is a hospital."

Iba laughed a bit, not caring too much that he was scolded and walked closer, speaking casually now. "You look good for all you drank last night."

Isane, who, seeing as karma just loved to play mean tricks, just happened to be walking by when he said that, looked shocked. "Hanataro! You said you had stopped drinking! I was one of the people who looked after your recovery!"

"Did I say something wrong?" Iba looked around curiously as Hanataro let his head fall into his hands, admitting defeat only moments after the first shots rang through the air.

"Hanataro, how could you go back to drinking! How long has this been going on – was it Rangiku who started it all again – or maybe-"

Lieutenant Iba cut in. "He was over at the eleventh's barracks with me, Ikkaku, and Yumichika."

"Leave it to you brutes to do something like that!" Isane shouted. "You really belong in the eleventh division, Iba! Not under someone as honorable as Captain Komamura! Wait. Hanataro, why would you of all people be around someone like Ikkaku, or Lieutenant Iba? Yumichika I think I could _almost_ understand, but Ikkaku isn't the type to host for members of the fourth division."

"Well, I know this is an important conversation, but," Iba pointed outside. "Ikkaku must've drank even after everyone left, because he's passed out and won't wake up. Where do we put people who have alcohol poisoning or whatever he has?"

Isane rushed outside, plainly ignoring Hanataro in favor of treating the unconscious man. All the while, Hanataro tried to think of a way to get out of the line of fire, and silently thanking Isane's obsessive attention to the ill. The fourth squad's Lieutenant wasn't quite "all there" and would more than likely forget if given enough time. Iba wasn't letting him go anywhere easily, though.

"Why is it such a big deal that you were out drinking?"

"Well, I used to have a problem with alcoholism-" Hanataro stopped what was going to be a ramble as a light bulb went off in his head. "I've got to go now, sorry but please excuse me." Hanataro shuffled outside, appointing a lower ranked officer to desk duty as he did so. "Lieutenant Isane!"

The snowy headed woman was trying to assess how much of an emergency it really was to get Ikkaku medical attention. His condition was plainly stable, though if left alone for too long it could get worse instead of better. Not often was the Lieutenant of the fourth squad one to get angry or annoyed, but she shot Hanataro a glare that could have stopped a weary heart for beating, and asked coldly; "What is it, Hanataro?"

She was disappointed in the man's return to drinking, as well as him having the nerve to slow her down in treating someone who was in need. Hanataro wasn't used to this side of her, but knew he should get her away from Ikkaku or else she'd never forget why it was that she was so angry. Faltering slightly, he went on to answer her. "Section fourteen, mental health division is experiencing trouble. They just sent for you. I'll take Ikkaku to a room for you and do the diagnosis."

"Who was the messenger?" Isane asked with narrowed eyes, making sure that the story wasn't just made up to distract her. She realized she had bad memory, and was not going to be taken advantage of.

"A new recruit, her name wasn't given to me, she seemed nervous and I guess wasn't familiar with the procedure-"

"You always know the names of recruits," Isane pointed out, trying to reveal a fallacy in Hanataro's story.

"She only arrived earlier today accompanied by someone of squad twelve, apparently more suited to medicine than science, I guess," Hanataro answered, knowing Isane would never remember the details to be able to verify the story later. Besides that, the mental division always seemed to need more hands and the Lieutenant would soon be preoccupied for so long that she wouldn't remember why she had gotten angry. Hanataro had to be good at thinking on his feet when his job was so demanding, and for once he was thanking whatever divinity made him the way they did.

Isane was satisfied enough to go check the area she was told to go, leaving an unconscious Ikkaku in the sevenths seat's arms. Maybe karma was trying, in its own way, to give Hanataro a chance to apologize for being stupid. Although it was a struggle, especially for someone so small, Hanataro managed to get Ikkaku to a room in the rehabilitation center, dismissing Lieutenant Iba and his offer to help.

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Ikkaku woke up with a dull throbbing headache, inside of the fourth division's rehabilitation center. It certainly wasn't the first time he woke up in a room like this, and he knew it probably wouldn't be the last, either. The only thing that was different from his last visit was the wastebasket was overflowing with crumpled papers and there was a letter on the table next to his bed, on top of his detox medicine.

_Dear Ikkaku;_

_I know I've made a mistake, I wasn't so drunk the other night that I don't remember what happened. I don't expect you to forgive me, either, because I won't even forgive myself for doing something so impulsively. I really am sorry. I was so weary to drink with you because I've never behaved very well when I've had alcohol, and I used to be even more of a drinker than you, or Matsumoto, or anyone else really. I was never able to really help myself._

_That's no excuse. . .I'm sorry, as you can see I wrote this in pen and I sometimes write things that aren't important when I don't even know it, until they're on the paper._

That explained the wastebasket, Ikkaku thought, and was surprised this one wasn't trashed as well. Why didn't he just look for a pencil?

_Anyway... If you could, I know you don't owe me any favors, but please don't tell Lieutenant Isane, or anyone really, of my drinking. It would disappoint my Captain if she were to think I'm relapsing. Actually, I may just be relapsing; otherwise I wouldn't have taken that drink but. . . Please don't say anything._

_From;_

_Hanataro Yamada._

_P.S. I'm really sorry you are suffering from a mild case of alcohol poisoning, but you aren't supposed to be detained. Take your medicine and leave once you've woken up if you would prefer your room to the one you're reading this in. Get well soon, and again, I'm sorry._

Ikkaku grimaced and crumpled the paper. "Idiot. I thought I told him to stop saying sorry so fucking much."

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	9. Chapter 9

Am I doing everyone's character justice so far? I don't know, I have problems with characters I don't have anything in common with, writing them. (So, Retsu, Hanataro and Isane... All too different from me. If anyone thinks so, tell me and I'll put a little more effort into understanding them. If not, I'll just go on with the delusion that I'm doing fine.)

Continued thanks, by the way, to Nightkill for awesome beta-ing.

And to Safuuru because soon I will have to credit this person for being the co-author.

Continued internet hugs, cookies and what-not.

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The very next day, a lot of things that weren't exactly pleasing to Hanataro happened. First, he realized that he wasn't as through with alcohol as he had thought himself to be. All that was required was a catalyst to send him back to a large bottle of strong sake (that could probably be used as paint thinner if the way it smelled was any indication) a day. Second, Isane had written down what she was going to do before she got distracted and managed to tell Captain Unohana about the seventh seat's relapse. He found out the latter when Retsu expressed her disappointment in him (and as brief as the exchange was, it felt as if someone just ripped his heart out and stomped on it when she spoke). Lastly, something Hanataro had said in his letter or what he had done on a drunken impulse had made Ikkaku extremely angry at him, proved when the man slammed his way into the fourth division barracks without rhyme and, seemingly enough to everyone else, without reason.

Hanataro only wanted to be left alone, seeing as he was an irredeemable idiot and he knew it, but that wasn't going to be happening so long as either Isane or Ikkaku were around. They apparently rivaled each other in being meddling, but Ikkaku shouldn't even want anything to do with a member of the fourth division. Isane was kind of justified seeing as she was only looking out for her own. Ikkaku was just being strange. Strange and meddling, with a five second fuse.

"Hanataro, you dumb ass!" Ikkaku stormed into the younger man's room while Hanataro was occupying himself with some sake.

"Ikkaku? What did I-"

The amount of sake Hanataro had already drunk must have been staggering for Ikkaku to not intimidate him with the loud entry. The man was simply sitting on a tatami mat, turning around to look at Ikkaku with hazy and drunken eyes.

"I told you to stop apologizing all the time," Ikkaku raved.

"What?" Not apologize? Hanataro was a few paces past confused.

"The stupid letter – the one that I forgot to bring, dammit! You said sorry like fifty times in the fucking thing!" Ikkaku put his hand to his forehead. He was screaming at the most sensitive Soul Reaper in all of Sereitei. "Just when I thought I was making some progress. The damn thing wasn't even a full piece of paper!"

Hanataro stood up, stumbling and almost falling back down. He faced Ikkaku, but it was awkward to try to stare in the man's eyes, seeing as he was so much taller. "Making. . . progress?"

"Yeah. You are so hard to deal with when you start on one of your apology rants – wait - how much have you drank?"

"Does that really matter?"

Ikkaku sighed. It wasn't possible to talk to Hanataro about anything serious when he was drunk, he didn't even like trying to speak to him when he was sober. He was so unbelievably jumpy all the time. That was probably more or less the reason he drank, Ikkaku thought, he has no courage or backbone at all without a few cups of sake to loosen him up. "Hanataro, I-"

Not listening to a word spoken, Hanataro started asking his own questions. "How come you want to spend time here – at the fourth's barracks?"

"Well that's because..." Ikkaku didn't have a reason other than he wanted to yell at Hanataro for the stupid letter. "I just came. I don't need to have a reason to be here other than I feel like being here."

"You're here for me, aren't you?"

"Yes – maybe – what the hell are you trying to get at, Hanataro?"

"Just wondering. . ."

"About what? Ikkaku's eyes narrowed.

"Why you. . . Why you really come around," he answered lowly and put his arms around Ikkaku's neck, repeating the whole incident that happened after the drinking party. This time, however, Ikkaku was completely sober and even more surprised than the last incident where Hanataro did this. When he leaned in for a kiss, Ikkaku didn't push him away. He was paralyzed due to surprise for a moment.

Surprise, not disgust.

Eventually, Ikkaku did take hold of the smaller man's shoulders and pushed him off a bit, holding onto the shoulders still. "Hanataro, what the hell are you thinking?"

"Just that you didn't jump like last time."

"Hanataro, you're talking out of your ass," Ikkaku hissed, pushing him.

"Please, I'm not a bad person to be with," Hanataro replied, undeterred by Ikkaku's response. "Just-"

"Hanataro, I. . ." Ikkaku hesitated. There wasn't a lot that he could say that wouldn't be completely meaningless to the man. "I'm going to go, and I'll talk to you when you're not fucking drunk as hell. Tomorrow, don't drink anything for one day and I'll talk to you," he turned and flash stepped out of the room before there could be any type of protest.

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"You don't look happy," Yumichika said, lying on his back with a smirk as he watched Ikkaku walk in.

"Why are you always in my room when I don't want to talk?" Ikkaku asked with a sigh as he closed the door behind him.

"Because it's the most fun to talk to you when you're mad," the man answered with a smirk. "Plus, I was curious. Yachiru said you looked mad when you were going somewhere earlier today. She asked me to see if you were about to blow a gasket before she played with you."

"I'll give you three guesses," Ikkaku said, picking up Yumichika and moving him over to the side so he could lie down. Yumichika instantly sat up and smiled.

"You ran out of sake?"

"No."

"Does it have anything to do with sake?"

"No – well, kinda."

"Kinda?"

"A person who was drinking sake."

"Iba? What did he do this time? Does it have anything to do with the Soul Reaper's Men's Association? If it does, then I can't imagine Captain Ukitake doing anything to bother you, maybe he was sick and couldn't have been there to slap some sense into those idiots-"

"You're wasting your time. Why would I ever be upset with Iba or any of his idiot friends?" Ikkaku rolled his eyes, almost a little insulted that Yumichika would honestly think that he could be so upset by one of the most idiotic people he had ever known. No, Iba would be hard pressed to make Ikkaku upset for longer than it took to beat the Lieutenant to a pulp.

"Hm. . . The fourth division wimp you have a crush on?"

"Hey, that's past your third guess, shut up! You used two guesses last time you idiot!" Ikkaku answered. "And I don't have a fucking crush on anyone; do I look like a teenage girl?"

Yumichika rolled his eyes. At least he had gotten to the source of the problem. "Let's see, he thinks you're an emotionally repressed brute who he'd never willingly spend time with?"

"What the hell?"

"Trying to figure out why you and your boyfriend are having a little tiff. Am I right?"

"He's not my boyfriend!" Ikkaku was a few seconds away from strangling the beauty.

"Not yet?"

"What makes you think I even want to get together with Hanataro?"

"Because, you're the most prideful person I know. You lost to Hanataro because you made him mad and he launched an attack at you when you weren't even expecting it – normally that'd be enough to make a mortal enemy out of someone. The moment you left him be and didn't behead him I knew you were interested in the little fourth division midget. God, don't you ever think ahead Ikkaku? He's more than a foot shorter than you. It would look so strange, and when you put your arm around him I bet it would be the most awkward thing ever, with him being below your shoulder by so much. But seriously, it's pretty obvious that you want more than friendship with this twerp. He's even your type."

"My. . . Type? What are you going on about now, idiot?" Ikkaku didn't know he had a type. He just went with whatever felt right, but honestly; it wasn't surprising that Yumichika found what his type was.

"Yes, your type. He's a nice guy. I mean, really, really nice, probably even nice enough to put up with your constant assish behavior while smiling. But as nice as he is, you know he has at least enough guts to stand up for himself when he really needs to, because he went against his Captain and helped Ichigo. He's weak at the same time that he's strong, needing a bit of a crutch to support him when he does whatever he needs to do. Meaning, he'd actually rely on you and not go off on his own, which always gives you a heart attack if your boyfriends are too independent and take off by themselves a lot. He wouldn't resent a protective jackass like you, is what I'm trying to say, I guess. You both seem completely horrible and unsuited to live with anything else except maybe a few inanimate object, but now that I put the pieces together, you two seem made for each other. Cute, huh? Anyways, besides all those factors, I think he's pretty much the only one in all of Sereitei that could be expected to put up with you, Ikkaku."

"Tch. Shut up. And get the hell out of my room, you presumptuous jackass!"

"Was that the word of the day on your calendar?"

"Maybe. . ." Ikkaku answered until he realized that was an insult. "Get the fuck out!"

"But-"

"Out!"

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	10. Chapter 10

Nightkill is still being a very nice person and beta-ing for me.

Safuuru is still being helpful in regards to talking everything out with me.

I'm in debt to both of you, you're very nice.

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Being told not to drink has the strangest effect – it makes the drinker want the alcohol that much more. At least, that's the normal result. Being told not to drink by someone like Ikkaku, who would just as soon kill as anything else, didn't seem to make Hanataro want to drink. Ikkaku's eyes were almost capable of murder themselves, and when an alcoholic as bad as he tells you that you need to lay off for a bit, you really need to put the sake down. It was actually easy not to drink for the rest of the night – for someone who was frightened to the extent that Hanataro was, anyway. And somehow, the sake wasn't worth enraging one of the most violent Soul Reapers to ever set foot in Sereitei. That, and he was out of sake anyway, so he'd have to go out to get more, risking being caught red-handed by the third seat.

No, drinking definitely wasn't worth being killed over. Sometimes it came close to being that important to Hanataro, or any alcoholic when they reached rock bottom and just didn't care anymore, but it wasn't one of those times for the medic. He wondered if he could go over to one of his friend's houses and have just enough to make the embarrassment of kissing Ikkaku, twice, be less of a pronounced feeling. Every time he thought of his stupidity, he just wanted to hang himself, or impale himself on someone else's zanpakuto.

The morning's light woke Hanataro up, kicking his hangover into overtime as soon as he opened his eyes. He was so glad it was his day off, so he wouldn't have to deal with his Captain expressing her disappointment again in him when she detected the alcohol on his breath. Maybe if he went to rehab again, he could stop drinking and just stay as far away from other alcoholics as possible. He never was able to do anything in moderation, drinking being a prime example of his own lack of self-control. He was an extremity in and of himself; extremely polite, extremely jumpy, extremely good at leading his squad, extremely clumsy. All of his attributes weren't just like; "I'm kind of upbeat." If he was anything, he was practically the embodiment of all his attributes. Just as well as Byakuya was the embodiment of a typical noble, Hanataro was the typical member of the fourth division. It was just in his personality to not know moderation.

Someone knocked at the door loudly. If Hanataro had the means to do so, he might have cut that person's hand off for being so loud so early in the morning, but his zanpakuto didn't have those capabilities. The butter knives in the kitchen probably wouldn't manage either. And if there had been any way that he could have put up with the loud knocking long enough for the person to go away, Hanataro would've waited, but his pounding head was getting more painful with every thump on the door. "I'm coming, please stop that," he said wearily as he pulled himself out of bed and answered the door.

He slept in his uniform, so it was no wonder that Ikkaku seemed surprised. "I thought today was your day off – you're going to get chewed out by your Captain being so late."

"It is my day off. Why are you stopping by so early?"

"It's past noon."

"Oh... Sorry," Hanataro answered, embarrassed.

"Nothing to be sorry about, stop saying that so much," Ikkaku said, plainly annoyed as he walked in without invitation. "What the hell am I going to do with you, saying sorry like it's the only word you were ever taught."

"Sor – um..."

"Forget about it," he said as he sat on one of the tatami mats. "Anyway, sit down."

Hanataro was surprised. The situation, being as awkward as it was, didn't even seem to faze Ikkaku. He walked into the standard room as if he owned the building and was completely confident. Maybe that was the eleventh division's mentality, just to tackle everything head on without looking back or thinking of what should have been done. It would make a bit of sense, seeing that it was completely the opposite of the mentality that you had to have in the fourth division to thrive. Every instance in which you had to do any amount of work, you were required to look back and think what you could have done better so you would improve the next time.

Hanataro was trained to be level-headed when it was absolutely necessary, but along with that, he had also been trained to have some sort of remorse that kicked in each time he did something that could have jeopardized the task he was put on. That was even true in social situations. Whenever something was awkward, he shrunk away and thought what he could have done but didn't, then would proceed to mentally kick his own ass for messing up. Looking at Ikkaku handling everything so calmly, although he should have still felt just as awkward as Hanataro did, was strange. It was more than strange, actually. It was like staring at an alien and it would be that way for pretty much any member of the fourth division.

He sat at the tatami mat across from Ikkaku, but for the life of him, Hanataro could not look in the other man's eyes. He'd sooner carry out the whole impaling thing.

"Snap out of it," Ikkaku said firmly, but at the same time not raising his voice above a whisper. He probably realized Hanataro had a hangover, and was trying not to upset him. Ikkaku had been there and done that, and knew how miserable it was for some loud idiot to be around when your head was pounding.

"What?" Hanataro asked, bringing his attention to Ikkaku's face, looking at his nose, as he was still a little weary of looking into Ikkaku's intense eyes.

"What are you being a priss over?"

"I-i... Well, it's just-"

"You think I'm pissed at you?"

"Kind of," Hanataro mumbled, looking down.

"I'm not."

"It's easy to just say that."

"If I was pissed at you, I'd be yelling. I'm not."

True, Hanataro thought. Ikkaku was the type to fly off the handle when he was angry and yell at everything, even if they weren't the source of his anger. If he was talking so calmly, chances were high that he wasn't even anywhere near being mad, and it was for sure that he wasn't trying to play mind games or lead Hanataro into any type of trap. That was Yumichika's thing, and Hanataro learned that the hard way before, Ikkaku was too straight forward for those things. "Sorry-"

"Don't say sorry. You don't need to say sorry. You were drunk. I understand what it's like to be drunk."

"You probably never did anything like that, though..."

"I did worse."

Hanataro's eyes were brought back to Ikkaku's face. Worse? What was worse?

Ikkaku read his mind and smiled his murderous smile. "I'll tell you the story if it'll make you feel better, then we can put all that shit behind us."

"A-all right," Hanataro agreed, but still doubted there even was anything worse than his stupid moves.

"Okay, first of all, I don't think I was ever as drunk as I was this night, all right? Ya see, Rangiku called me and Yumichika, Izuru, and Shuhei over for a drinking party. For the first time ever, she doesn't show up. Somethin' with her Captain not letting her leave till her paperwork was done. Since she wasn't there, Shuhei left, sayin' it was too boring without her or somethin' like that. Well, Yumichika for once let loose and got drunk, I think he just wants to look prettier than Rangiku and she wasn't around so he didn't see any point in holding back, but the hell if I know what he's really thinking, and Izuru normally held back when Yumichika was around but with that pretty boy so drunk he could barely remember his own name, Izuru drank almost as much as me. So, we were all really, really, really drunk. Like, probably more than any of us had been in our whole lives, so, well, everyone pretty much knows that Yumichika bats for the other team, but most people don't know Izuru swings both ways and almost no one knows that me and Yumichika dated back when we were just meeting each other. I don't try to hide that, but you know. I don't talk about it, so here we were... Well, actually I think you can put the rest of the puzzle together yourself."

Hanataro's face was completely red. "S-s-so-"

"Yeah. I've done worse, kay?"

"T-then you aren't mad at-"

"I really am not mad."

"Izuru and Yumichika – both – and you-"

"Yeah... Does this place just attract gay guys or what?" Ikkaku laughed a bit and grinned. "I think Shuhei and Rangiku are the only people in my drinking group who are straight. See, I always thought straight people are in the majority, or maybe I just make friends with other gay guys subconsciously... That's what Yumichika said."

Hanataro tried to get control of himself. "I..."

"You?"

"I... Well, when you did that with those guys, how did you stay friends?"

"Well, Yumichika and me are just suited to each other, not as lovers cause eventually, with all our arguments, we'd slit each other's throats one night when the other was asleep. It wasn't even a lot to get over with him, really, since we've been through all that. But you know, it was kind of like reliving the old days. And Izuru doesn't know how to be mad. He's sad, less sad, utterly depressed, and I think that's it. Once he heard I wasn't mad at him, he pretty much went into his 'Less sad' mode and we both went on with our lives. I guess there were some sober regrets, but really we weren't going to mess up our friendship just cause of one night of drunken stupidity."

"We hardly have a friendship, Ikkaku. Why do you want to try so hard to get over what I did for a friendship that hardly exists?"

"Well, because..." Ikkaku stopped to think a minute. "Cause I don't have to try hard. It was a kiss. Just a kiss. What's hard to get over about a little kiss?"

Actually, Hanataro would've rather been speaking to Restu about how disappointed she was in him than know Ikkaku felt absolutely nothing with that kiss. Being drunk didn't change the fact that he knew exactly what he was doing, it only changed how apprehensive he was about actually doing it. He didn't kiss Ikkaku because he was the only one there. He kissed Ikkaku because he was really starting to like the man, even if he was scary sometimes. What Ikkaku had just said pretty much assured that even though he was gay, or bi, that he had no feelings what so ever for Hanataro. It would be easier to repent to his Captain than hear something like that put so bluntly.

Ikkaku picked up on Hanataro's sudden drop in mood. "What's up? I said I wasn't mad. That it didn't mean anything."

"Nothing's wrong," Hanataro lied. "Just... Tired, you know. I didn't sleep well."

"Liar."

"Nothing," he insisted.

"Tell me the truth before I do get pissed off at you," Ikkaku warned.

"I don't want to talk about it. At least not right now."

"Too bad," he answered bluntly. "I don't know how it is in your division, but apparently they're teaching you badly. If you got something to say, fuck what everyone else thinks, say it. Especially if your only other option is to keep it all locked up inside and drive yourself crazy."

"I..."

"You," Ikkaku mocked a bit, trying to push the rest of the sentence out of the boy a bit faster while in reality only slowing it by making him nervous.

"I wish that..." a light bulb went off in Hanataro's head, and he really hoped Ikkaku wasn't the lie detector he's made himself out to be. He might be able to tell if something's wrong, but Hanataro's gotten pretty good at making up scenarios. Many a time he was required to lie to higher-ups to protect a patient, and this wasn't any different besides he was trying to protect himself. "Well, my Captain's angry with me."

"Captain Unohana? Mad? Those words don't go together," Ikkaku answered, confused with the sudden change of topic and everything he had known about the fourth division being called into question with that short statement.

"Sorry, I said I didn't want to talk about it. I was reminded of it... Well, I don't know what made me think of it, maybe just because you weren't mad at me and I didn't have to worry about that anymore. She doesn't like that I'm drinking again."

"I see. I guess I could see how that's a problem for someone with a job like you. How about you just drink on the weekends? She shouldn't care about that."

"She's worried about my health. Listen, Ikkaku, I really would rather save this to talk about later when I don't feel so bad. Thanks for caring to listen, but I have a hangover and I want to lie back down."

"Sure," Ikkaku answered with a smile. He knew how it felt, having a hangover, and he knew that the last thing Hanataro wanted to do was have a drawn out conversation. They talked about what he came to talk about at least, and he'd help Hanataro with his problem of dealing with his Captain later. "See ya. Don't sleep all day, either. It's not good for ya."

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Ha ha. So close to it coming out. But no, alas. I didn't think it would've been very realistic for Hanataro to just spill his guts like that.

Oh, and I think Izuru really would be bi because from my experience hanging out with emo people, they are often bi (and he just seems emo, okay?). Not saying there aren't exceptions, but they just happen to be frequently bi or bi-curious. And Yumichika, though I hate to admit it, is very gay. Maybe he's just one of those guys that act like it and really isn't but... Well, it's easy to understand where I'm coming from on this, right? I normally hate when everyone's just gay, but there's a rhyme and reason here... Kind of.(Before anyone says anything about this, I have nothing against gays, I have nothing against emo people, I have nothing against bisexuals. I am gay, all right? I don't need to be lectured... Thank you and have a nice day.)

Last note;

I'm holding a Bleach writing competition for all who are interested. The forum with the rules are on my page and I'd be glad to have you. I'm probably not going to be doing it but I might depending on if when it starts I'm in the middle of a project like this or if I'm free.


	11. Chapter 11

There's almost no Hanataro or Ikkaku at all in this chapter. Eh. Oh well.

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Porridge? Check. Tea? Check. Work done? Big check.

Isane was ready to wind down. Not sleep, she'd made her decision not to sleep so she'd stop growing and avoid those awful nightmares, but she was ready to relax. Eating her dinner in silence, she let her thoughts wander idly over the day. It was one much like any other, besides the fact she oversaw preliminary training for new members to the division as it was Hanataro's day off.

"Jerk. We worked so hard to help him get sober and he just goes back," Isane mumbled under her breath as she continued to devour her porridge with a fevered rush, as if it would leave if she ate it normally. In the same way, she downed all of her tea with one gulp and then she had nothing to take out her frustration on. If she decided to get more food, she'd risk growing more by overfeeding herself.

She wanted to stop growing about five inches ago, so instead of allowing her body to grow even higher, she decided to just take a walk. Getting angry was rare for her, but even so, she needed to have outlets without negative effects. It was already very late (or rather, it was very early in the morning. She'd had to work quite a bit) and no one else in their right mind was awake.

Wait... Isane thought. She felt someone's spiritual pressure moving about the streets. The fourth division's barracks were simply too far into Seireitei for a patrol to be walking about.

A short man walked around the corner, slumping down and looking depressed. He was walking slowly and without purpose, maybe out for the same reason as Isane, only he seemed to be less used to late hours. "Hanataro?" She called. The man jumped at his name.

He looked up at her from all the way down the street. "Lieutenant Isane, it's good to see you."

She rushed down to where Hanataro was. "What are you doing up so early? Oh, wait. Don't tell me, it has something to do with alcohol?"

"Actually-"

"You're going to the store now, am I right?"

"No, you see-"

"Or maybe to have a drink with those eleventh division brutes!"

"Lieutenant Isane!" Hanataro said loudly, trying to get her attention. "It's nothing like that. You taught me in rehab that when ever I have the urge to drink, or feel upset about something, I should distance myself and take a walk or something."

"So... You're trying not to drink?"

"Yes, but..." Hanataro didn't want to finish.

"But what? Hanataro, as long as you're trying to stop again, I'm here for you all the way! I'm proud that you know already you need to make changes. That's good! Come on, we'll go to my apartment and I'll fix some tea."

At least she get carried away easily, Hanataro thought. For a minute he really believed she would be insistent on making him finish what he was going to say. Either way, maybe it would be nice to get what was bothering him off his chest, so he followed her to her room.

She made some tea and sat down, somehow getting side tracked from the very reason she had brought Hanataro and went on about her nightmares that didn't allow her to sleep. It was nice to be back to easy talking terms with Isane, Hanataro thought with a smile.

"Why are you drinking again?" She asked after all her stories, which must really be her version of obligatory pleasantries.

"What?"

"You're upset. I could tell since you started drinking. You're always frowning and you look like you have something grating on your mind, tell me about it."

"Lieutenant, I really-"

"It's an order – tell me."

"You can't order me to talk about my private life, Lieutenant!"

"I never read that in the rule book," she answered without missing a beat, and smiled softly. Hanataro loved her smile, and her entire being. It radiated comfort in a way no one else in Seireitei ever could, almost like a loving mother would. "Please, if you talk about it then who knows – you might just feel a whole lot better and not have to go on a walk."

"Well," Hanataro began. "It's... You aren't going to laugh or make fun of me, or do anything like that."

"I would never."

"And you have an open mind?"

"Of course. I deal with the mentally insane on an almost daily basis, it makes you aware and willing to accept diversity Hanataro. Well, that and after you live long enough, you stop getting upset of small things."

"Well, I know I'd done really well with sobriety, but the sake being in front of me at Ikkaku's place was too much. I can deal without it, but I can have it right there. So, I was allowed to drink all I wanted, and I drank a lot. And..."

"And? Hanataro, don't be so apprehensive. I'm not going to criticize you, I only want to help."

"I... Kissed... Ikkaku."

"You, wait. You kissed him?"

"Yes," Hanataro regretted saying that now. "Twice. At different times. I – I don't know what I was thinking..."

"So, you're confused that you were attracted to a man while you were drunk?"

"No, I'm not confused. Lieutenant-"

"Please just call me Isane when we're talking heart to heart."

"Isane, I," Hanataro hesitated. Was this something he should even tell? He couldn't decide. "I'm not confused that I was attracted to a man. That's... It's normal for me."

She didn't seem to be surprised. Hanataro wasn't exactly sure how to take that. "Sorry to make you feel like I wouldn't be okay with that Hanataro. I don't judge over things like that, don't be so afraid to tell me these things."

"I'm just confused as to what Ikkaku thinks, because I know what I think."

"What's that?"

"Ikkaku's already told me that those kisses didn't mean anything, even though he was trying to tell me we could be friends and not make everything out to be very awkward. I kind of want them to have meant something though," Hanataro looked into Isane's slate eyes timidly. Would it change anything between them and this exchange if she knew he was attracted to Ikkaku, more than just passingly so while he was drunk? Ikkaku was a brute, someone who embodied everything that the fourth division loathed, he drank and fought every day of his life. There was no way that Isane would be approving, was there?

After a pause where Isane seemed to be thinking sincerely for a moment, she smiled again her soft and comforting smile. "Do you love him?"

"No, it's nothing like that. It's too soon."

"Good, so it's nothing that you're going to rush in head first and get yourself hurt?"

"I don't know if I'll be hurt or not."

"You are a model member of the division, Hanataro. So honest with yourself, and rational."

"Emotions can't get in the way of thinking. That's one of our main rules."

"Good. As long as that's your attitude, I think you'll be able to make your relationship work."

"I don't know if Ikkaku wants a relationship, though."

"Well, you'll have to figure that out for yourself. But, before you go, I'd like for you to hear the most interesting nightmare I had the other day. Maybe I'll be able to sleep if I talk about them."

Hanataro smiled lightly. "Of course."

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	12. Chapter 12

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"And then he said 'We aren't even friends.', or something like that. I'm pretty sure friends is a step before dating should happen, so what am I doing wrong? I mean, dammit! We aren't friends? What the hell? What do I have to do for him to consider me a friend-"

"Not be an asshole."

Ikkaku and Yumichika had been in each other's company for most the night. At the end of every week, they made a habit of meeting each other in Yumichika's room and just letting out whatever happened, whatever they needed to talk about. Yumichika normally ruled these nights with complaints about someone saying Rangiku was prettier than him or Izuru trying to pass off something depressing as beautiful, but not tonight. It was Ikkaku's time to shine. Not to say that Yumichika wasn't going to have fun mocking him, however.

"This is serious." Ikkaku glared at the vain man, who was sitting at his vanity, going through his raven locks.

"I'm only saying, if you like him so much you should make it clear. What have you got to lose?"

"If I wait maybe he'll change his mind, and I'll have an actual chance."

"He's already kissed you – twice."

"I kissed Izuru when I was drunk, Yumichika. Really, when you've just drank your weight in sake, nothing you do is really very meaningful."

"True. But the longer you wait, the more time he'll have to dislike you. You're pretty much a jackass, you know."

Ikkaku threw the nearest non-lethal object, which happened to be an overstuffed decorative pillow, at Yumichika's head. "I took you seriously when you were going on about how much you liked Shuhei, comforted you when he said he was straight, and this is how you thank me? Come on!"

Yumichika caught the pillow effortlessly, as he was expecting it, and frowned. "No, I thanked you by keeping Yachiru from bothering you for a month. We're even now."

"Yumichika!" Ikkaku whined. "You're the romantic one. What the hell do I do?"

"Well, you could try being nice," Yumichika threw the pillow back onto the bed where it belonged. "But realistically you should just ask him out and not be a complete jackass when he says yes."

"When he says yes?" Ikkaku didn't know if it was just Yumichika feeling strange talking about someone else and was thinking in terms of himself (which wouldn't be the first time he'd done that), or if he was completely serious.

"Yes. He won't say no to you, Ikkaku. He hasn't yet and he won't start either. Maybe he's afraid of you getting angry at him if he says no, or maybe he likes you and you're just too dense to pick up on the hints – which is just as likely as the first thing I said. In any event, if he came to your house for a drinking party, I don't think he'd say no to a date in a restaurant. Are you following the logic?"

"I can't ask him out," Ikkaku said, looking down.

"And why's that?"

"'Cause."

"Because why?"

"I can't."

"Cute," Yumichika answered with a smile. "Aren't you being a bit of a hypocrite? Always going on and on about facing problems you have head on, not opting out like a coward, yet you can't ask this guy out? Captain would skin you alive if he knew you wanted to go out with a member of the fourth division, and he wouldn't even hang your hide as a trophy if he knew that you're too nervous to ask him out on a date."

"Gee, this is why I love coming to you," Ikkaku said with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh, cut it out. You know Captain wouldn't actually skin you alive – that requires way too much concentration. Anyways, you need to ask him before he understands just what he'd be getting himself into by going out with you."

"Stop being such an idiot, I'm a decent person..." Ikkaku said, although slightly lacking confidence the more he thought about what a relationship between himself and Hanataro would actually look like.

"You have moments when you can be sweet," Yumichika answered sincerely. "Then you have moments when you border on the fine line of 'admirer' and 'stalker.'"

"Ha ha," Ikkaku replied drily.

"Oh well. You'll end up on a date with him eventually. I know you aren't able to keep your big mouth shut very long, and I'm not sure that Hanataro's capable of denying a request at all. He's simply too much of a push-over, which is why he belongs in the fourth division, training all the new recruits to bow down to their Captain and accept orders from everyone in the entirety of Sereitei."

"And I'm the jackass?"

"Aw, look. You're already defending him."

Ikkaku replied by throwing the overstuffed pillow again and effectively hitting the narcissist, who was too busy looking at himself in the mirror to block it this time.

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By the time Isane reported for work, Captain Unohana was already filling out paperwork with grace that would put shame to all the noble families in the entire Soul Society. Her elegant calm seemed to radiate to anyone, so long as she didn't hint that she was upset with them, but it could not restrain the Lieutenant's excitement. She burst into the office that her and the fourth division's Captain filled out necessary paperwork on uneventful days.

"Did you sleep any last night, Lieutenant Isane?" She asked as she filled out a paper with subtle strokes of her fine calligraphy brush. "You seem especially lively."

"No. Hanataro's already using the techniques we showed him at rehab to stop his relapse from going too far."

"That's good news. He seemed to be in rather good spirits today while seeing over the new recruits at the training grounds, but also rather tired."

"He was up late talking late with me."

"About what?"

"Well, he wouldn't appreciate me telling anyone..."

"Understood," she replied. Retsu seemed to be the picture of calm, with a narrow range of emotions. She was like the embodiment of serenity, such as Izuru was the embodiment of his division's slogan of "despair." She looked to her side, the stack of paperwork that must be completed was only about a half-inch, she already had a staggering amount completed. "I don't much need you to help fill forms out today. I'd appreciate you delivering these if you could."

"Of course, Captain Unohana," Isane answered. That was the normal way of this office. Retsu didn't mind paperwork, and just as many of her subordinates enjoyed their janitorial duties as a sort of mind-numbing and calm duty, she enjoyed her paperwork. What she didn't enjoy was the company of lower members in Sereitei who didn't have due respect for the Captains, and therefore she would much rather stay in her office than deliver anything.

Isane, though awkward, enjoyed seeing everyone instead of being cooped up and expected to stay quiet while work was being done. It just wasn't in her list of attributes to be one to stay silent for any extended length of time, especially if she was in the company of someone else. There was a large backpack that she had bought for days like this, when there was simply too many papers to hold in her arms. After a quick job of organizing what should go where, she got the first stack of papers which she wanted to get out of the way as quickly as possible and then enjoy the rest of her errands.

That stack was the obligatory forms to the eleventh division about medication, release forms, and physical exam reports. Retsu always finished these hastily so Kenpachi couldn't have an excuse to ever drop by to criticize, although the dislike between each other was mutual and he wouldn't dream of coming without serious reason. In any event, Isane wanted to rush and give these to the nearest grunt, then perhaps get the papers for the twelfth division so she could enjoy Nemu's company for a while (and hopefully avoid her "father" if possible).

"I'll be back soon, Captain," Isane said as she left the room.

"I wouldn't expect you to stay and chat," Retsu replied, and although it was jokingly, there was a bit of seriousness. Fourth division and eleventh didn't mix, and that was just an unwritten rule that they should abide by.

Isane rushed over to the eleventh division's offices, which was more or less an indoor dojo with a few rooms set aside with desks that were normally not occupied during the day if it could be helped. She knew it was at least checked daily though, and was the agreed place that necessary forms should be placed, at least from the fourth division as no one wanted to have any sort of contact with them rather than ridiculing, and vice-versa. On her way out she was surprised when one of the less unbearable members, fifth seat Yumichika Ayasegawa, stopped her.

"What do you need?" She asked curtly.

"Please don't be so ugly. It's not fitting for one who looks the way you do."

"I don't melt with a little flattery, Mr. Ayasegawa."

"Don't put "Mister" in front of my name, it sounds ugly. Just call me "Fifth Seat Ayasegawa", but not "Mister". It makes me feel old to be called that."

"I have other work to be doing."

Yumichika frowned. "Well, I did have a bit I wanted to speak with you about, but I guess I'll skip the unimportant things, though I must sat least ask how you grew the braided bit of your hair so long when you eat nothing more than porridge. You'd think that would make it stop growing-"

"I'm leaving," she replied and turned on her heels, but she wasn't escaping easily. Yumichika followed her out. "Don't you have work to be doing?"

"A fifth seat as beautiful as I is normally left to their own devices. Sure, Ikkaku and I handle most of the responsibilities, but the combat division is given very little to do. Head Captain Yamamoto doesn't realize that we can be bloodthirsty and intelligent at the same time, but that works out in our favor."

"What do you want?" She snapped at him. His idle chat could drive an enemy to kill themselves before he got a chance – maybe that was his strategy?

"Well, it's about that adorably self-conscious Hanataro, you see-"

"Don't bully Hanataro into drinking anymore. He told me he drank when you guys pushed him to!"

Yumichika rolled his eyes. "Yes. We did. We didn't know he had a problem, we just thought he was necessarily uptight or uncomfortable around us. It's not beautiful to be so curt, Lieutenant Isane."

"Why do you want to speak with me about our seventh seat?"

"Well, I simply need to know if Ikkaku has your blessing. We all know how kind you are, but at the same time we're well aware that you might fly off the handle at something that makes you angry."

"My... Blessing?"

"Oh, well, you wouldn't know. Ikkaku happens to have a bit of a thing for your dear Hanataro. Don't tell me you guys didn't find it strange that he would invite someone of the medical division."

"Well... We thought it would be a mean prank," Isane said without fully registering everything Yumichika had said yet. "Wait! Third Seat Ikkaku Madarame? That Ikkaku?"

"We only have one in the division that I know of," Yumichika answered with a smirk.

"You're coming with me, and I'm going to tell you right now," Isane's slate eyes met with Yumichika's in the most intimidating way she could muster. "If that Ikkaku hurts Hanataro – at all – there will be serious consequences. Maybe I can't fight, but I have Ikkaku on the operating table without fail after nearly every raid. Is that understood?"

"But of course."

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Isane and insane. One extra letter. Just noticing that, seriously. It totally makes sense! I wonder if I'm doing her character justice?


	13. Chapter 13

Nightkill still awesome.

Safuuru, still equally awesome.

Internet hugs to you both.

(Oh, and if any of you are bored, go listen to "Letter to Dana" by Sonata Arctica because that song is fun. No, it has nothing to do with the story, just go.)

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_Dear Kaku;_

_Be at the Golden Lion Shokudo* at seven, 'kay? We have a room in the back reserved, just give your name. I'll see if I can ditch these stupid new recruits in time to be there, but I need you to save our reservation and be there at seven, don't be late like you normally are!_

_Oh, and I had the most wonderful conversation with Lieutenant Isane. She said she'll kill you and pass it off as medical malpractice the first time you and your little boyfriend have an argument, and she seemed serious, too. You had better watch out. I see you being carted off to the fourth division all the time. Well, I have a lot I want to say, but I don't want to talk too much on paper._

_I can see you now, though. "Dammit, he's not my boyfriend you stupid – Argh!" Well, oh well. I couldn't resist. See you later._

_Yours Truly, the Darling and Beautiful,_

_Yumichika._

"Narcissistic piece of shit," Ikkaku mumbled under his breath. He crumpled the paper and threw it across the room. It was almost seven by the time he got back, seeing as he got into a fight with his Lieutenant and spent most of the day running after her. She's too fast for those ridiculously short legs.

He ignored the impulse to go chase Yachiru some more, as he never caught her and that dealt a serious blow to his pride, but instead went to shower. It washed away the buckets of sticky sweat and helped take some of the frustration away from a day in which he failed miserably, but of course that's not to say he was happy with himself.

Once he was done it was about five minutes till seven, and he knew he'd never hear the end of it from Yumichika if he didn't get there on time. He really wasn't in the mood for a lecture, so he threw on a spare uniform that wasn't drenched in sweat and flash stepped – which he hated doing with a passion – all the way to the shop. Yumichika was lucky that his neck wasn't snapped by Ikkaku yet, because he pushed it on a daily basis, knowing that he could get away with it.

One of these days, Ikkaku thought, he's going to have that neck snapped like a twig either by his Captain or his best friend. Ikkaku got there just as the clock hit seven and the host lead him to the backroom, where Ikkaku almost jumped out of his skin as he saw Hanataro sitting at the table.

Hanataro was no less surprised. "Ikkaku?"

"Hanataro, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Lieutenant Isane asked me to have dinner with her here. Why are you here?"

"Because Yumichika's a lying little fink," Ikkaku grumbled and sat across from the table, understanding now what his friend had done. "Sorry that you got caught up in his stupidity."

"What do you mean?"

"He met with Isane, and I don't know how she got him to say two fucking words, she hates me and I've never even said anything more than 'Thanks' to her – anyway, he set this up."

"How do you know that he did it?"

"Because I know Yumichika by now, unfortunately," Ikkaku sighed. He would've maybe thanked Yumichika if it wasn't a surprise attack.

Hanataro smiled a bit, surprisingly. "Actually, I know why Isane did this."

"Yeah, to get a pretty boy off her back. I can understand it. Once I spent two month's salary to buy Yumichika a birthday gift that he couldn't complain about."

"Actually..." Hanataro didn't go past that.

"Actually what?"

"She..."

Ikkaku wanted to hit him and laugh at the same time. "Hanataro, what?"

"Don't be mad at me if I tell you."

Rolling his eyes, he agreed he wouldn't be mad. Truthfully, Ikkaku would only be mad if Hanataro didn't say what was on his mind, but for some reason he thought it was the other way around. Ikkaku wondered if maybe Retsu's attitude made him like that?

"I was talking to her and-"

"Good evening sirs," a waiter came in the room. Ikkaku was one hundred percent sure that he would have killed this guy with the chopsticks at the table if it weren't for Hanataro sitting there. "You are aware of your meal choices?"

They both nodded and ordered, Hanataro getting chawanmushi* and Ikkaku getting hamubagu*. Once the waiter left, Ikkaku asked, "What were you going to say?"

"Um, I don't remember," Hanataro lied. He was going to tell Ikkaku how he spoke to Isane, and about how he felt towards Ikkaku, but he couldn't force himself to.

"You do too. Just tell me. I won't care, I promise."

Hanataro thought that he'd rather impale himself than tell Ikkaku, and then him not caring. He looked down nervously. "Well, I kind of spent one night... Or technically it was very early morning, talking to Isane. We do it every now and then, normally all she talks about is her nightmares or something like that, she's always having the strangest ones. But I was talking to her... Well..."

"Hanataro, I guarantee whatever you have to say will not even begin to make me as mad as when you stutter like that," Ikkaku said, plainly annoyed.

"We were talking about you, and-"

"Me?"

"Yeah..."

"Well then that only adds to the mystery. Isane sure as hell doesn't have anything positive to say about anyone in the eleventh division, and I know she doesn't want to hear anything nice about us. And if she set you up while knowing any stories of me being a jackass to you, then she must have really been desperate to get rid of Yumichika... I mean, I understand that, but still."

"Actually, I think what I said is going to get me in trouble if she tells the Captain," Hanataro stalled for a moment and even if his life had depended on it, he didn't think he could look at Ikkaku in the eyes while he was saying this. "I told her that I... That I... Have a..."

"Hanataro? Could you spit it out?"

No, Hanataro thought. I can't spit it out. I can hardly even think about it in my head, let alone form words and say what I want to say. Hanataro raved in his head; You stopping me every two seconds is going to kill me, too! I have no idea how to say this, I was having a hard time breathing when I told Isane and I can't be blunt like you, and I can't tell you like you could tell me if you felt this way!

The usual Ikkaku, who was far from empathetic, actually managed to catch onto how upset Hanataro looked. "Sorry. Just tell me, okay? You're killing me."

"You probably don't understand, but when I drink I don't feel like it's so hard to speak my mind and do what I want," Hanataro started out of nowhere. It looked to anyone as if he were trying to change the subject. "But, that's it. When I kissed you, it wasn't because I was drunk and just wanted to kiss someone, it was because I... I kind of like you." Hanataro couldn't have spit out another word, honestly. It felt like someone just punched him in the chest when he finished.

"You..." Ikkaku was at a loss for words. No doubt the first time in a long time, and Hanataro really wished he would've just lied and came up with something else to say. Anything would have sufficed.

"Ikkaku, I'm sorry, please-"

A feral grin swept across Ikkaku's face, catching Hanataro by surprise. "How stupid am I? I can't believe that it took me so long to figure that out – maybe I should listen to that useless pretty boy more often about these types of things."

"What?"

"Just that I wanted to ask you out for a while now, but... Well, it doesn't matter. So long as Captain doesn't hear about me being an idiot, everything's fine."

"You like me? But you always say that I say sorry too much-"

"You do."

"And I stutter-"

"Which you do."

"And that I'm annoying-"

"You can be."

"And-"

"Just stop. I like you, 'kay?"

Hanataro smiled a bit and blushed lightly. "All right. Sorry."

"And stop saying sorry, dammit!"

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Shokudo = Basically a common Japanese type of restaurant that offers a large variety of dishes. The term isn't commonly used in Japan any longer, but the Soul Society seems to use a lot of older type things, so I would imagine they'd use this term and what not... Yep.

Chawanmushi = egg custard that contain various meat and fish cakes, as well as a type of nut... Leave me alone, I don't know what food these guys eat.

Hamubagu = Japanese hamburger steak, no bun, with some vegetables and gravy. I don't know how long they've had this, but it's considered a traditional Japanese dish so... Eh. I think I'm trying too hard to make this as believable food they would have. Actually, I know I am, but oh well.


	14. Chapter 14

Nightkill is beta for this still. (Continued thanks)

Safuuru is sounding board (as she deems herself) still.

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"So how was your date?" Yumichika asked first thing the next morning at work. "You didn't freak out and screw everything up after I went to such lengths to get Isane to work with me, did you? I bet you messed it up one way or another-"

"It went fine," Ikkaku said, followed by an exasperated sigh. "But what do you mean, 'lengths'? Hanataro said Isane was trying to set us up anyways."

"Huh?"

"Never mind," he said and waved the vain man away.

"Don't 'never mind' me! I want to hear what happened! Every bit of everything! What did he wear?"

"His uniform."

"Boring. What about you?"

"My uniform."

Yumichika rolled his eyes. "Did you ask him out on another date?"

"Nah," Ikkaku replied.

"What? After all that-"

"He's stopping by after he's done working though. We figured we'd straighten out our new recruits," Ikkaku grinned at Yumichika's confusion. "I'm going to beat some sense into the new guys and his students are going to get hands on training. It's not really a date, but it'll be a fun afternoon. And make the whole training thing less of a pain in the ass."

"Not really my idea of a romantic evening. How'd you get him to agree to spend an afternoon with these meat heads?"

"Do I have to explain everything?"

"Yes! If you don't, I swear I will never help you again! And believe me, you need all the help you can possibly get with this kind of stuff-"

"Fine, fine," Ikkaku smiled as Yumichika got angrier because of the interruption. "He admitted he liked me."

"Really?"

"I thought you said he liked me for sure! You little-"

Yumichika put up his hands in defense. "Sorry, I just said that so you might have a little confidence. In all honesty, I thought he didn't like you at all, and saw you for the violent creep you are."

"Gee, you're such a great friend," Ikkaku sighed. "Oh well, everything worked out fine this time."

"Of course it did, I took care of it."

"You had nothing to do with everything working out."

"I made it possible for everything to work out, so I had everything to do with it!"

Ikkaku was in too good of a mood to argue, not to mention he never won against Yumichika's unique brand of crazy, he just shrugged and ended the conversation with that.

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Hanataro brought the recruits to the normal training ground, where Ikkaku was waiting with many of his students spread across the area with various wounds. He had a few scratches, but they looked too old to have been inflicted during the time he spent "teaching" the new recruits whatever lesson he was trying to get through. Hanataro himself was exhausted from teaching new arrivals and doing his janitorial duties, which he was required for as the twelfth division took a good dozen or so members from the fourth division for some kind of experiment.

"Sorry we're late," Hanataro said and waved.

"It's not really a problem. Hey, you think you could fix these," Ikkaku pointed to what seemed to be claw marks on his face. "They sting. Damn pink haired little..."

A lot of the fourth division arrivals were extremely surprised to see something other than mannequins to train on. One of them spoke up. "Um... Teacher, is it okay for us to treat them?"

Hanataro smiled. "Of course, none of them have more than minor lacerations, or shallow cuts. I'm going to go take care of Ikkaku, please do well on the injured men; it's nothing that I haven't taught you to do."

The medical students, albeit reluctantly, showed themselves to be very proficient in the first aid that they were trained in, and treated the scattered eleventh divisioners with practiced precision and remarkable speed. Hanataro was having more difficulty than any of them, with his patient being fully awake and less than compliant.

"Ow, ow, ow-"

"Hold still."

"What is that shit? Ow, fuck! You got it in my eye!"

"That's because the scratch is right next to your eye. Maybe if you stopped aggravating Lieutenant Yachiru, you wouldn't have to worry about these things."

"Yeah, well maybe if she stopped being a little brat that is absolutely – ow! What the hell is that?"

"It's basic antiseptic, Ikkaku."

"Well, it fucking hurts; stop getting it in my eye!"

"Stop being such a baby about it."

"I'm not being a baby about it, it hurts!"

Hanataro sighed and started applying salve, to which Ikkaku let out a contented sigh. "That's better."

"Good. Sorry about the antiseptic getting into your eye-"

"Don't say sorry."

"All right." Hanataro glanced over his shoulder. The eleventh division recruits were all up and able to move. Maybe he was a better teacher than his superiors gave him credit for.

"Damn, that hurt," one of them mumbled and stretched some tense muscles.

"What the hell are you complaining about?" Ikkaku asked threateningly. "I thought I taught you never to complain. Maybe that lesson needs to be gone over again."

"You complain all the time though," Hanataro said rather innocently.

"Hanataro! You're not helping! I'm not undermining you while you're teaching your guys whatever you're doing! Once Captain can remember your name, you're allowed to complain!"

"Sorry, sorry."

"Stop apologizing!"

Hanataro sighed. "What's up with you? I can't ever apologize?"

"You can when it matters. You're apologizing for things that don't need to be apologized for." Ikkaku said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the entire world.

"You're confusing..."

"I am not!" Ikkaku turned his attention back to his recruits, who had thought they were in the clear for a moment. He didn't really remember the face of whoever spoke out, but it didn't matter. If he didn't get the lesson through to one of them, there was probably more who believed the same and just kept their mouths shut. "Who else thinks I'm being too hard on you guys?"

One of the fourth division arrivals spoke up. "Sorry, Ikkaku, sir... But the lacerations were severe in some cases. I know that you must have used some real force."

"Laceration? Why the hell don't you just say 'cut'?"

"Because lacerations are caused by blunt things, like a sheath or the unsharpened side of a blade," another student pointed out. "They're more difficult to prevent from bleeding, tourniquets don't really work. There's also an unhealthy amount of contusions and abrasions-"

"English..." Ikkaku said, annoyed.

"Well, she means that there are a lot of bruises and the skin is ripped off in several places where they hit the ground," Hanataro answered.

"They aren't suited to the eleventh division if they can't handle those," the third seat answered.

"But-" the female student continued.

"It's true, though," Hanataro stopped her. Partially because he just didn't want Ikkaku to get to worked up, but it was also important to teach his students not to meddle. "Those from the eleventh division need to be exposed to wounds, by friendly troops so their body can become tougher, and Ikkaku isn't someone who would cause more injuries than someone could handle. Don't argue too much with your superiors, please."

"Hanataro!" She said, surprised to be stopped by her always kind and caring teacher. "You can't approve of this training!"

"I'm not someone who's in combat often so I can't really approve of any techniques to train a direct combat soldier. Ikkaku's been through the ranks and we shouldn't argue with someone who's more experienced, especially when we have no frame of reference. Ikkaku's nicer than he'd like most people to think," Hanataro added the last part with a smile.

"Hey, you don't need to make me look like a softie!"

"Sorry," Hanataro replied with false sincerity and a wide smile. Ikkaku let that one sorry pass without yelling, because it was certainly justified. Questioning the third seat wasn't the smartest move, and making him look like a doormat was even worse, especially in front of his subordinates that were supposed to be afraid of him. Hanataro continued to speak to his students. "Please bandage wounds as needed, and prepare them for the next training session. Remember to always ask me if you're in the least bit unsure."

The medical students nodded, although a few were plainly disappointed, and did as they were told. Ikkaku definitely wanted to know how to make his men listen so perfectly. "How did you do that?"

Hanataro looked at him curiously. He honestly had no idea what Ikkaku was talking about. "Do what?"

Pointing to the fourth division arrivals as a whole, he continued. "They didn't like what you said but listened anyways! How do you do that?"

"That's just how they're expected to behave. They follow example of their superiors," Hanataro replied and shrugged.

"I see... What else you got?" Ikkaku didn't want his subordinates to be anything like him unless they had something to back up their arrogant words, and none of the new recruits had any talent what-so-ever.

"Well, I don't know. Students take after their teachers," he looked at his pupils. They did really take after Hanataro, nervous and second-guessing everything to the point that it was honestly surprising that they were able to keep steady enough hands to apply the linen bandages, but they seemed to be doing well or their teacher would be the first to correct them. The arrogance of the patients seemed to reflect on all of Ikkaku's less than savory attributes; Ungrateful, loud and overconfident.

"I should let you beat some sense into them," Ikkaku said laughing.

"I couldn't-"

"Sure you could. You're strong enough to slap these morons around."

Hanataro shook his head. "That's only going to make them either scared to the point that they can't look their superiors in the face or arrogant enough to make ten of you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," the seventh seat replied with a smile. "But humility doesn't suit your division anyways."

"True. A little would be nice though. They annoy the hell out of me."

There was a small silence between them as the fourth division arrivals worked to send the group into a fight again, and it was strangely peaceful. Maybe there was an air of energy, but it was all good-willed. Even the eleventh division's newest brutes were being uncharacteristically kind (they might have just been too fresh to know any better?) to their healers and both of the divisions that always seemed so naturally at odds were getting together as if they were close friends from who knows how long ago. "Where do we go from here, Ikkaku?"

"What?"

"Our Captain's both are close to us and both of them are going to be angry at this alone. I don't think either of them knows about us being together, but they won't be happy when they learn."

"Oh well."

"Oh well?" Hanataro echoed, somewhat annoyed at the lack of a response.

"I might hate some of the idiots in my division, but at least they got good sense. They might need to be your teacher, 'cause it's common sense that you shouldn't be afraid of your boss finding out about your real life. If our Captain's get pissed we'll let them throw a fit and then go on with our lives while they bark for a bit. Doesn't matter."

"It does too."

"How?

Hanataro paused. It mattered because Retsu's opinion was important to him, but he doubted Ikkaku would accept that as an answer. Regardless, he said so. "Captain would be angry with me, and I can't stand when she's mad."

"Would she want you to ignore me and then be upset?"

"I don't know."

"You would be upset, wouldn't you?" Ikkaku asked, defending his ego more than anything.

"Of course I would be. I mean, I really hate it when-" Hanataro was cut off.

"Teacher! I can't tell which balm to use here! It's an open blister that's oozing clear liquid."

"I'll be right there," Hanataro answered, and turned back to Ikkaku. "Sorry, I might get caught up into a lot of questions. We can talk some other time."

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This chapter was supposed to end the story.

It didn't.

Nothing is going like it should have. I'm having way too much fun.

There's going to be around thirty to forty chapters, at least.

Fun.

Good luck paying attention that long.

Updates will continue every other day as they have been.

Thank you, and have a nice morning/day/evening/life.


	15. Chapter 15

Nightkill is beta-ing and Safuuru is sound-boarding still. Ah. It's so nice to have people to help you along in these endeavors. It makes the grunt work a bit easier.

Oh, and to respond to Safuuru's question on what else would I call her: Co-author, reason this is actually decent (or, one of the reasons. Nightkill helps this be decent a lot too... Why do I need a team to write this?), inspiration, killer of writer's block... I can keep going.

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Maybe Hanataro was onto something. The two dating wasn't going to be something particularly simple. First, there were the people in Ikkaku's division who would lose what little respect they were capable of generating for the third seat (or anyone, really), and increasing intensity by one thousand fold, there was the issue of Kenpachi. He hated Retsu, the fourth division, anyone who wasn't good at fighting, and if someone was a bit shy, they weren't above dumpster trash in his eyes.

And he wasn't above setting trash that bothered him on fire, if it suited his purposes. Ikkaku being seen dating Hanataro would be a serious image problem for his division, and Kenpachi wouldn't really appreciate all the annoying rumors that went on. That was one of the biggest things that a member of the eleventh division had to learn; the hypocrisy of their Captain could be embarrassingly blunt and very self-serving. Kenpachi had a three-second fuse and the little bundle of energy that he carried around on his shoulder possessed less than that and was more sensitive to unkind words or anything she would constitute as critical exchanges.

There wouldn't be a single positive gossip story between any Soul Reaper considering the unlikely pair. Eventually they'd grate on Kenpachi's nerves, so Ikkaku had to decide if he'd rather tell his Captain before anything real started or wait for him to hear about it, and then treat the whole thing as no big deal.

Weigh in the pros and cons; Pro to the first method would be Kenpachi being happy with Ikkaku's blunt attitude. Con being he'd have to have a heart-to-heart talk with his Captain when he'd rather hang himself, and just to set everything off as completely unbearable, Yachiru would be riding on her beloved Captain's shoulder as she always did. It would be horrible if he had to sit through another taunt from her, this time actually being something that he cared about. Pro to the second method, he'd berate whatever anger his Captain would have towards him for not bringing up the matter sooner by handling the situation as if it were nothing but personal relations that had nothing to do at all with his job (and if he lived in a perfect world, that would be the truth). Con would be, berating Kenpachi Zaraki may feel good for a moment, but the Captain was as likely to laugh as he was to behead whoever tried to get one over on him.

Ikkaku didn't particularly like the idea of berating his Captain in the first place, he had too much respect for the man. It was decided without a real battle that he'd tell Kenpachi the barest minimum so nothing would be an unpleasant surprise to him, and no beheading would be necessary. Collecting heads was more Izuru's thing anyways.

Ikkaku set off to the training dojo as he would any other day with a dark cloud hanging over his head. His decision to tell his Captain wasn't going to be changing, but he really wished he could think of some elegant way to put it so he wouldn't be challenged. There was nothing, though. No mask that could cover the ugly truth (ugly to Kenpachi, Ikkaku was elated), no story to make the whole thing acceptable in his division.

"Ikkaku!" Yumichika shouted from down the street. They normally walked together to work, seeing as they slept in the block, but Ikkaku set off a little bit earlier in hopes to be alone with his thoughts for a bit. His eccentric friend caught up, however. He wasn't getting a moment's peace on a day like this, cheery and inclusive.

"Yumichika, I'd rather be alone."

"What's with you acting depressed? Did something happen with Hanataro?" Yumichika seemed genuinely concerned. Maybe matters of the heart is simple something so beautiful that Yumichika feels he has to get involved, or he was concerned with Ikkaku's uncharacteristic melancholy. Probably more of the former, but a bit of both seemed about right.

"No. Not really. Just, Captain's really going to skin me alive like you said."

"I was joking," Yumichika insisted, though Ikkaku actually had a valid point. The likelihood of their Captain accepting this relationship was at zero percent and it wasn't raising either.

"If I don't tell him what's going on, Hanataro's not going to be able to tell his Captain, then he's going to be upset, which mean's he'll be depressed and I won't know what the hell to say to him, then Isane's gonna dissect me like a frog and then-"

"Ikkaku, cut it out!" Yumichika stopped the rant before it rose in its crazy factor – if that was even possible – and tried to show the bright side to his friend. "Captain won't get in your way. He laughed when he heard about your fling with Izuru, and Izuru is horrible when it comes to our mentality. He's all doom and gloom. Besides, you're not introducing Hanataro to your parents, you're giving our Captain a heads up so he won't jump out of his skin when rumors start."

"I'm not going to have skin to jump out of... You still think he'll be too ashamed to display it?"

"Ikkaku..."

"I'm being serious. He's going to be pissed off. Said it's bad enough that both of his best fighters are queer, but when he learns I got a thing for someone from the fourth division, the one I beat in two seconds before when he was right there... It's not working, all right? It's just not," Ikkaku sighed and pushed his way through the noren* that was there for the time being, as some drunken idiot had broken the door they previously had.

He almost died when he saw Retsu on her way out with a scowl that could have soured milk. For a moment he pitied Hanataro for having to put up with someone like that on a regular basis, who's bad mood could almost make you want to act like a child and hide behind someone bigger until she passed. The pink headed bundle of candy-fueled energy peeped out from behind a corner. "Baldy, Rere just yelled at Kenny! It was about you! What did you do?"

Yumichika sensed already that Ikkaku couldn't deal with Yachiru's inquisitiveness and keep his sanity intact, so he intervened before something could even start. "Lieutenant, I hope you would like to have some candy. I got so many boxes of chocolates from admirers, and Ikkaku and I just can't keep up with all of them. Would you like to take them home?"

"Yes!" She said, forgetting the boring task of interrogating her subordinate in favor of the chance to get some free sweets. Although she was, in fact, more fond of things with fruity and light flavors, she loved chocolate on occasion.

Ikkaku mumbled a thanks as he made his way to his Captain's office, knowing that the confrontation couldn't be avoided for a moment longer and he didn't even have the chance to try to paint a pretty face on the situation. Oh well, no one could ever accuse him of trying to worm out of accounting for himself now at least. One positive mark for him.

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noren = Japanese door curtains to keep out the sun, often in front of private homes or shops.

*Note: Yachiru calls Retsu "Re-chan" in the anime. I'm unaware of any dubbed nicknames, and if you know the proper one, please tell me. I do not use Japanese honorifics at all in my stories, and I try to avoid Japanese terminology unless it's completely proper to refer to something with the foreign language.


	16. Chapter 16

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"I've never, ever told ya that ya couldn't see someone. I was even patient with your weird thing with pretty boy-" Kenpachi started angrily. It might have not even been the fact Ikkaku was with who he was, but whenever Retsu showed herself around their division it put the eleventh division's Captain in a frenzy.

"We were over by the time that I joined." Ikkaku said plainly and took a seat across from his Captain's desk, though Kenpachi was standing and looking on as Retsu left. Once she was gone, he sat on his high-backed chair and grimaced at the arrogant third seat.

"Whatever. I put up with knowing. That's pushing me past my limits with ya all by itself. Now you're dragging some whiny fourth division member into the mix so I can put up with more shit because of you?"

Ikkaku frowned. "I'm with Hanataro. End. You don't like it, find a new third seat."

"Eh?"

Wait. Ikkaku felt like someone just punched him in the chest. What did he just say? That he would leave if he couldn't be with Hanataro? That wasn't true. He wouldn't ever leave the eleventh division for a romance that hadn't even really started yet. He wouldn't leave even if he really loved someone, actually. "Captain-"

"You just threaten me?"

"I-"

"You got guts, but you better not just be talking."

"Listen for a second. What I meant to say was; our division isn't about appearances. If it starts bein' that way then I won't feel like it's the same place I've been all these years and I'm gonna leave."

Kenpachi grinned as he saw Ikkaku squirm his way out of the trouble he stumbled into. "Really? Well, it still ain't about how nice we look. It is about showin' everyone we ain't the ones to fuck with. What's the fourth division gonna be like if they know they're in the clear with us? I hate them, and I hate their Captain. Bunch a cowards not worth a second glance."

"Captain, I'm not changing my mind," Ikkaku said firmly. "Being an asshole isn't in our code."

"It's one of those unwritten rules. Thought you of all people had adopted it."

"I have. But not all the time," Ikkaku leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath, though he didn't make it too audible. He needed Yumichika here. He didn't battle any type of crazy very well, but his friend seemed to do just that with practiced ease. Their Captain was crazy in a league all his own, and Ikkaku was quickly realizing that he didn't stand a chance in a verbal fight anymore then he would've clashing swords.

"So what do you want?"

"To be left alone."

"Ya ain't gonna make us look like a bunch a fools, are ya?"

"Please, the idiots in our division do that for themselves."

"Hm?"

"If you wanna make us look good, put Yumichika in charge. He's the best to trust with makin' us look like a bunch a sadistic bastards. That is the look we're goin' for, innit?"

"Don't think I'm leavin' you alone after this short little talk. I gotta go to a Captain's meeting, and I'll deal with your dumb ass some other time."

Ikkaku wasn't going to be looking forward to that.

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"Good afternoon, Captain Unohana!" Several new students and Isane said in unison as Retsu came back from her visit to the eleventh division. None of them knew where she had just come from, and only Isane could tell she was in a foul mood. She walked by, repeating the pleasantry lowly as she would any other day, continuing to her office. Isane was close behind her.

The room was completely cleared of paperwork, as expected from her dutiful subordinate. "Captain Unohana, I delivered all of what was required," she said lowly as she closed the door. "Are you feeling all right?"

"I'm not in high spirits, no," Retsu replied both vague and honest. "I trust you know why."

"I'm sorry I don't know."

"You had told me this morning."

"Hanataro?" Isane asked. "You shouldn't be so upset about that-"

"Captain Zaraki is a nuisance. Not only does he feel completely at ease while he ignores every valid complaint I give to him, be it on paper or in person, but now he is allowing one of his brutish officers to meddle with my favorite appointee for teaching the new arrivals. Only Hanataro does so well, having so much patience. If that third seat rubs off on him in the least," Retsu sighed. She didn't know whether she was concerned for Hanataro or his performance. Either way she was very upset. She plopped herself on her office chair without her normal grace, now that she wasn't in the view of public eyes.

"He might be happy though."

"What happiness would come from a brute like Ikkaku? You know how he is, a bad influence – an alchoholic."

Isane, though she liked the idea of Hanataro finally getting out there and seeing people after years of celibacy, she couldn't argue that Hanataro and Ikkaku weren't exactly suited for each other.

"Ikkaku's violent, and he has a short temper. Someone like Hanataro wouldn't stand a chance if a fight ever broke out. With Ikkaku, a fight is sure to break out just as sure as my name is Retsu Unohana. I worry enough about sending people to clean the streets where the eleventh division member's are stationed. When they're together and dating – let's not kid anyone. A fairy tale ending won't ensue from a shy and weak person like Hanataro when he's going with a violent and impulsive person like Ikkaku.

"Should we really get involved with personal affairs?" Isane asked, not being able to argue with the logic her Captain had just put forth and saw the need to change the topic.

"No. No, we shouldn't. But it's business when it comes down to the fact that he's one of my most relied upon officers. We simply can't afford to lose his assistance," Retsu stood and frowned. "We should go and speak with him. I think it's because of his relapse, now that he's trying to stop drinking again he's merely focusing his attention on someone else. It's normal. Let's explain to him."

Isane loved how maternal Retsu was, always in some way protecting her division in a way a mother might protect her helpless child for an offending danger. This was normally the thing that everyone in the division loved the most about their Captain, but now that she was maybe going a bit too far to protect one of the most gullible and fainthearted of her "children." It was a little out of place for Isane to stop her, however, so she chose instead to follow Retsu and speak with Hanataro alongside her.

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	17. Chapter 17

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"Hanataro!" Yumichika was waving from down the street with a big smile plastered on his face. His uniform was a little disheveled and he looked like he'd just been chased for miles. Hanataro thought if his Lieutenant was part of the picture, Yumichika's appearance might shed light on the truth. "Hey, Hanata-"

"What are you doing here, Yumichika?"

Yumichika flash stepped right in front of Hanataro, who was cleaning up the training grounds he used for his students to practice on so it would be ready when they were through with whatever classes they were put in earlier in the day. For some reason, Yumichika was extremely happy despite how he looked (and Hanataro had always thought that if Yumichika didn't look his best he wouldn't be in a tolerable mood, or at least that's what he gathered from Ikkaku). "Ikkaku told me to come get you."

"Get me?"

"Mm-hm. Less you want to talk to your Captain."

"What?"

"Just come on. And hide your spiritual pressure, or we'll never get very far," Yumichika didn't pay any attention to Hanataro's protests as he grabbed the smaller man's wrist and lead him to an alleyway. "Let's see..."

"Yumichika, where are we going?"

"Hide your spiritual pressure and stop talking so much," Yumichika answered annoyed, as he made an effort to increase his own spiritual pressure and maybe snuff out Hanataro's inferior pressure. Hanataro was starting to get worried though, he had heard from Ikkaku that if Yumichika seems to be acting strange, that it's normally some underhanded prank. Either way he was going to lose, though. Don't follow Yumichika and become victim to the man's rage. Follow Yumichika and fall prey to whatever he has planned.

Yumichika happened to show himself to be very scary while angry once in front of Hanataro once while someone whistled at him once. The result was a bloody mess that no one could recognize as human at first glance, and since then Hanataro had possessed a bit of a fear of angering the fifth seat. Hanataro decided that the prank couldn't be any worse than Yumichika's wrath so he did his best to mask his own spiritual pressure and follow the beauty into a dark room he'd been lead to. "Stay in here, 'kay Hanataro?"

"Is that really all right?"

"I wouldn't bring you here if it wasn't. I'll be back in a few hours," he said with a smile and went to where they'd came in at. Hanataro still couldn't make out anything of the room.

"A few hours?"

"Yeah, to check up. Bye, and be careful," Yumichika replied and closed the door. He disappeared only to come back a few minutes later and add; "Don't come out or you might be killed by some of the officers around here. They really hate fourth division members, and it looks like you don't have your zanpakuto on you. See ya!"

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Retsu and Isane spent fifteen minutes searching for Hanataro, an endeavor which turned out to be fruitless. They left for the meeting in sour spirits, Retsu concerned beyond belief and Isane wondering what on earth Hanataro could be thinking, hiding from his superiors.

Once they arrived at the meeting, they saw that they were among with first to be present, and took their seats as far as possible from Kenpachi and his bubbly daughter. That meant she must sit near Mayuri, who also had a certain dislike for the loud eleventh division Captain, but it was more pleasant to sit across from him than Zaraki. Head Captain Yamamoto wasn't yet present, and the three captain's sat in silence with their lieutenants by their side. None of them had the slightest interest in speaking to one another unless it was to deliberately instigate a fight

There were ten minutes of barely anything more than silent shuffling of feet or shifting of position before anyone said anything. "Rere?" The pink haired bundle of energy asked, her mouth full of chocolates. "Do you want somethin' to eat?"

"No thank you, Yachiru."

The small girl was having none of that. Kenpachi did his best to ignore her as she scurried across the long table down to Retsu's chair and offered a handful of cherry cordials that were starting to melt already in her hands. "They're good! Have some!"

"Lieutenant, please go and sit. The meeting will begin soon."

"Nuh-huh!" She argued, swallowing the candies that were stuffing her mouth. "They won't be here for an hour! They never are. I want you to have one! Please, Rere?"

Isane spoke up, knowing how upset her Captain was and not for a moment going to allow any more harassment, even if Yachiru didn't know better. "Captain Unohana has an upset stomach today. May I have one?"

"Of course!" Yachiru chirped and dumped her handful of chocolates onto the table in front of Isane, then scurried back to her Captain with a wide grin. "Kenny, let's play a game until everyone gets here!"

Kenpachi, not being in the mood to play a game but not having the heart to say no to Yachiru when she was so hyper and needed to burn off the energy, grunted. She knew that was as good as a yes, and looked around for something interesting to play. "I know! Let's play... Well... Um... I forgot what I was going to say. Let's just play tag!"

"This room is too small," Kenpachi grumbled.

"Hide and seek?"

"There's nowhere to hide."

"Then..." Yachiru looked at Mayuri. "Mayurin! Mayurin! Play with me! Play a game, please? Please, please, pleeeeaaassseeee?"

Mayuri glared daggers at the girl, then to her Captain. "Control this pest."

A little glad that his Lieutenant was doing something useful by annoying the freak of nature, Kenpachi grinned his impossibly wide grin and replied with his amusement showing plainly in his voice. "Why would I take her fun away from her? Let 'er play with Nemu." He looked to Yachiru. "You'd like that, wouldn't ya?"

"Can I, Mayurin? Please? Please? I'll be good for the whole meeting, I promise! I wanna play with Nemu! I know!" She scuttled back to her Captain without even letting Mayuri reply, and came back with a box as big as herself. "You like chocolate! Have this! Kenny brought it to snack on, but I have more so you should eat this and then let me play with Nemu! Will you? Please?"

"Keep the chocolate and just go. Try your best not to come back," Mayuri replied, glaring with his golden eyes. Despite his best efforts, he didn't deter the small girl in the least with his menacing attitude. "Go on, Nemu. Take this pest away."

"Yay! Mayurin, you're so nice!" Yachiru exclaimed and picked up Nemu, dropping the box on the table without a care. "Isane! Sanee! Come with us!"

"You have one friend, Yachiru. Go on," Kenpachi chided, trying not to laugh at one of the rare intervals when Nemu showed some emotion, this time being bewilderment. "Be back when you feel Head Captain Yamamoto's presence here, got it?"

"'Course Kenny!" She jumped out an open window with her prize/friend. Kenpachi had a feeling he wouldn't be seeing either of them for the rest of the day.

Retsu whispered something to her Lieutenant who nodded and then left with a bow. She then turned towards Kenpachi with a frown. "I'm not exactly sure what you think you're doing, letting your division run rampant all the time while mine is normally the victim but you're not getting away with any of it."

Mayuri looked at Retsu as if she were an alien, with her for once, letting a feeling show through the serene calmness that either she possesses or is possessed by. He didn't interrupt, and instead turned his attention toward the one who her anger was directed upon. He sat there with a smug grin, as par usual, and hardly gave any notice to the accusation for a minute. Finally, when he replied, it wasn't satisfactory for anyone. "Sorry 'bout Yachiru. She gets so hyper when I let her get too much candy."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

"I don't have Ikkaku on a leash, you know," he replied with a frown.

"You have him beneath your thumb and everyone knows it. He practically worships you."

"No, that's how your division is towards their Captain. Ikkaku just threatened to leave my command if I keep botherin' him 'bout this."

"Liar," she spat. Ikkaku was fiercely loyal to his Captain and always would be. It was plain to tell that his whole personality fit the typical member of the eleventh division to a tee, and he declared on more than one occasion that his only wish in life was to die under Kenpachi's leadership.

"Well, he could've been talkin' out his ass. He's done that plenty a times. Doesn't matter though. I talked to him. You talk ta yours now, he's more of a push-over anyways."

"Hanataro isn't a push over," Retsu stood, pushing her chair down as she did. For the first time ever, she was the one angry instead of Kenpachi, and she wouldn't stand for this. Or rather, wouldn't sit. Whatever. She was mad. "I want him to be happy, and I don't think for a minute that a brute from your command could ever be fit to someone who's so kind and sweet. Our divisions don't mix. That's it. I don't want to have to even hear you mentioned in passing more than absolutely necessary, and you letting Hanataro get hurt-"

"Hana ain't my responsibility."

"Don't shorten his name. You aren't even on speaking terms with him, especially not after you bullied him!"

"What are ya, his mother?"

Mayuri leaned back in his chair, more than content to relax and enjoy the verbal assault with a grin on his painted face. Of course, just as things were getting entertaining, someone had to walk in. The pastel pink kimono shone more than the man under it, though in truth the eccentric Captain wasn't much to look at in the first place, being either drunk or simply annoyingly optimistic. Shunsui smiled at everyone, and walked with a somewhat drunken stumble to a random seat with his Lieutenant following close behind. "What's all this yelling for?"

Retsu frowned and picked her chair back up, sitting down without another word to the instigator of her anger. Kenpachi paid no mind to what was about to turn into a heated argument either, and Mayuri sat quietly, though he would've liked to kill the flamboyantly dressed Captain for cutting his entertainment short.

"For you to behave this way," Nanao began. "is disgraceful."

"Don't talk if you don't understand the situation," Retsu said curtly, staring out the window and waiting for her Lieutenant to come back and make the rest of the day a little more bearable. "Besides, for a subordinate to speak out of turn to a Captain is grounds for severe punishments."

Nanao frowned, and wondered to herself what could have possibly made one of the most mild-mannered of the Captains act so badly, but either way it didn't seem like she should prod.

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	18. Chapter 18

There's a fun little saying that's going around in my house. It goes; "Damn, you're pretty good at _, but you ain't a bit better than you think you are." It only is directed towards me because I brag about everything and everyone else in our house second guesses their every move, so if I ever do anything it's with supreme confidence. My writing is one exclusion, but even when I do something small like fix a broken drawer I'll say; "What would you guys do without me?" Ah, fun.

Well, hope you enjoyed a little look into this amazing author's life. I'm going to continue my diet of cake and coffee to bring you this wonderful story (sarcasm)!

*I'm a bad person. I forgot to mention that my merry band of wonderful helpers have not abandoned me. Safuuru continues to be a sounding board, and Nightkill (you know, I'm starting to think that your name is a might bit violent... But then again my name involves a disease that impedes your mental health so I can't say much) is being an awesome beta.

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Ikkaku was somewhat curious. The meeting that his Captain was at wasn't the reason he hadn't come back yet, because he saw Mayuri walk through the eleventh division's district as a shortcut to his own base of operations. He didn't doubt the possibility of his Captain being caught up in another argument with Retsu, and therefore didn't doubt he was in for a huge blowout when Kenpachi did get back.

The comforting thud of wooden training blades clashing resounded through the air as Ikkaku sat just outside the dojo, idly putting together various scenarios. The training stopped as if everyone were frozen the moment when he walked inside, deciding that it wouldn't hurt to watch the show for a bit. It was all new recruits working, finally getting over their fear of putting real effort into training. They all looked like they'd sweated a river, and at some parts in the dojo, the floor was actually wet with perspiration. The bowed and welcomed him loudly, as if they didn't know he was already there. Formality was so annoying, Ikkaku thought.

A rare female addition to the eleventh division walked up to her teacher, looking like she'd just worked ten times harder than anyone else in the room. Ikkaku grinned, glad to see he didn't have a lightweight. "Hey."

"Good afternoon. Could I ask for a spar?"

"You want to fight me?"

"I don't mean any disrespect, but yes."

"'Kay, but first, don't be so so proper. Not really important here," he answered.

"Sorry, sir."

"Geez, I have a lot of work ahead of me," Ikkaku thought out loud and sighed. The girl blushed, slightly embarrassed, and looked down as her teacher went to get a wooden sword to fight with.

She stood in a somewhat basic stance, apparently thinking it could block anyone with more than a few days of experience. Ikkaku thought his work would never be done with this group, but didn't think criticizing her before she saw the weakness of the position would do any real good. In mere seconds he had her on the floor.

"What did I do wrong?" She asked, struggling to get back up. It looked like she had a sprained ankle or something, and she was trying to stand without putting pressure on it.

"Well, first, you seemed distracted, second, a fly could beat you using a stance like that."

"The academy-" she began, trying to explain where she'd gotten the stance from.

"Is shit," Ikkaku really didn't want to hear excuses.

She looked down.

"What were you thinking about anyways? 'Cause it wasn't fighting."

"I'm that obvious?"

"Yeah," Ikkaku answered simply and picked her up, setting her back on her feet, careful not to put her on the injury.

"Just about our training the other day," she smiled brightly. "It was nice to spend time with the fourth division, I think. I don't see how it's possible, but they're all so nice, even if we weren't nice to them. I'm trying to be a little more like that, but I guess that's not really what we need, is it?"

Ikkaku suddenly remembered this girl. He had no idea what her name was, he never spent time trying to remember the names of the students unless they showed real potential, but she was the first girl in ages to join the combat division. She was really loud and constantly smoking. The most annoying of the bunch, he thought. Hanataro did wonders, he really did.

"Sorry, I'm not doing anything useful being like this, but it was just weird to try any fit in with a bunch of guys. The teacher for the fourth division was really nice," she smiled tentatively. "I don't mean to pry, but you two are dating, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Ikkaku answered with a bit of a frown. He never liked his personal life to come up in work, but he didn't deny any of it. "Who did you hear that from?"

"Well, it was just kind of obvious looking at you two. You argue like people who have been dating for years," she saw her teacher's mood didn't increase. "I mean – I think it's cute. Please don't get mad-"

"Work on your stances, I'm putting Makizo in charge," Ikkaku muttered and left. He knew that practically everyone in the dojo had heard that conversation; most of them were watching instead of training anyways. That meant that one of the guys would spill it at some point when they got drunk and everyone would know before the week's end. Hanataro wouldn't be happy in the least with that.

It was the strangest thing, though. All day he'd been thinking of Hanataro because he could have sworn that his spiritual pressure was around the training block somewhere. It was driving him crazy because he knew Hanataro was still too afraid of the eleventh division to be wandering around the area.

"Hey, Ikkaku!" Yumichika called from around the corner. "You give up on the new guys already?"

"Do you just naturally know where everyone is at all times?"

"Of course, because unlike most of the oafs in our division, I can sense spiritual pressure. I'm good at it, too," Yumichika smiled. "Got a surprise for you, by the way."

"Oh great," Ikkaku rolled his eyes. Yumichika's surprises were normally either very horrible, or just a prank(like that hair growth stimulator he bought once). He wasn't looking forward to whatever the surprise was at all.

"Come on, it's this way," Yumichika said and lead Ikkaku into their supplies building. It was full of boring training dummies, replacement wooden swords, and other things necessary to train weaklings. Ikkaku wasn't particularly fond of this place, but it was in the area he thought he felt Hanataro's spiritual pressure earlier. He followed a bit reluctantly.

"Hey, Hana! I brought someone to escort you to dinner! You're hungry, right?"

Hanataro was sleeping in a pile of dodge balls (one of Kenpachi's favorite things to weed out weaklings), but jumped awake when he heard Yumichika's voice.

"Yumichika, this wasn't very nice to do!" Hanataro started. "I was scared out of my mind that someone would find me here!"

"Please, no one ever comes in here unless they absolutely have to," Yumichika rolled his eyes. "Plus, your Captain didn't find you, did she?"

"You put me here to avoid my Captain? I'll have to see her eventually!"

"You don't understand. Anger becomes less severe as the shock factor lessens. I already told your students what was going on, and they all agreed upon a lie to tell for you."

"You did what?" Hanataro asked. "You can't just-"

"You lie all the time to me when I ask about Ikkaku. I thought it would be good prepping for them."

"I don't lie, and I don't tell the whole truth because I'm not allowed to!"

"All right, guys," Ikkaku sighed. "Hanataro, you wanna go out tonight?"

Hanataro smiled a bit and got up. "Sure, let me clean this up then we'll go on."

"Oh come on," Yumichika said. "Go! I gave you a day off and you're still wanting to clean? Go, shoo, scat, out!"

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"Yumichika's not one to clean up after others," Hanataro remarked as he was walking with Ikkaku.

"You think he's going to be the one cleaning up?" Ikkaku laughed. "No, that's going to be the job of the new recruits. Officers in our division don't clean, period."

"Oh, I see," Hanataro replied lowly.

"Not that anything's wrong with cleaning, I mean," Ikkaku quickly covered up for himself. "No, cleaning's great! Sorry."

"So now you're apologizing for little things?" Hanataro asked with a smirk.

"Dammit... Did Yumichika teach you how to fuck with me like that?"

"Maybe, at some point today," Hanataro answered as they walked into a restaurant. Both of them sat and were immediately waited upon. The meal choices weren't really broad, and they both simply got the house dish.

Ikkaku smiled. "You holdin' up okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your Captain. She's pissed, ain't she?"

"I haven't talked to her yet. And there's been civil unrest just outside of Rukongai, so I'm being stationed there to heal the injured tomorrow, which means I won't see her until I get back."

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you're going on a mission?"

"I did."

Right, Ikkaku thought. Sometime during their last date. Damn, he scolded himself. He never managed to remember anything important. "Yeah, sorry. How long ya gonna be?"

"I don't know for sure, but last time I was sent for emergency relief, I was away for a few weeks."

"Why don't they send me to help quiet the idiots?"

"Because you're too strong. We don't want to kill them, Ikkaku."

"There's no such thing as too strong," Ikkaku huffed. "'Sides, we're too easy on those morons who get it in their heads they can beat us."

"Ikkaku! That's horrible to say! They resent us because we're stronger than them, it's a natural feeling. We can't just kill everyone who doesn't agree with us."

"Sure we can. Some take longer than others, but-"

"Ikkaku," Hanataro stopped him. "Let's not argue."

"We weren't, that was just talking. We think different, big deal."

The smaller man sighed, and the food was brought out. It's quality wasn't anything substantial, but it distracted them both for a moment. Hanataro was the first to start talking again. "You know, Yumichika's a pretty strange person. I thought I had him figured out for a while, but he always surprises me."

Ikkaku laughed, the change of topic to something they could agree upon - Yumichika's insanity - was more than welcome. "He goes out of his way just to make sure no one thinks they can predict what he'll do. Doesn't matter to him. He just wants to make sure everyone's on their toes around him. Still don't know why he's so obsessed with that, but don't try ta figure him out. If you make him think that you got him pretty much understood, he'll get pissed off, then even I couldn't tell ya what he'll do next."

"Then why doesn't he get mad at you, since you always seem to know what he's up to?"

"I told him a long time ago I gave up trying to understand what goes on inside his head," Ikkaku dismissed and ate his rice as if it were going to run off. "He just leaves it at that unless I get cocky."

It was nice, Hanataro thought with a small smile, to be in the company of someone so spontaneous and fun. It made him forget for the rest of the night he had to go on a mission to heal innocent bystanders, many of whom will be children or the elderly, as well as heal the ones who harmed them. For a while he made himself forget all about seeing his Captain, an inevitable eventuality. He just wanted to sit in the company of Ikkaku and hear him tell impossible stories until they parted ways to their respective barracks and slept.

Hanataro felt so relaxed that it seemed impossible, but at the same time so welcome. For once he wasn't being made to feel pressured or relied upon for everything, and instead he was just sitting in the undemanding presence of someone he thought he might be able to love.

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I've been compelled to write the threesome mentioned earlier in the story (yaoi fangirls, thank Safuuru. She's the reason I bothered) and I don't know if I should add it to the story as a bonus chapter or not. If you don't remember, it was a drunk night of randomness between Ikkaku, Yumichika and Izuru.

I shall let my loyal readers decide whether I should include it or not.

PM/review saying if you would like to see it or if you think the story doesn't need a random insertion of smut.

I'm fine either way.


	19. Chapter 19

Kenpachi x Retsu exists (who knew?)... Yeah, you're not sleeping tonight either, I take it?

I could almost see it, but if it were to happen in this story they'd kill each other just because Retsu got mad that Kenny left the toilet seat up. I can see that.

Retsu: Would it kill you to just put the lid down after you use the restroom?

Kenny: Hey, at least I have the decency to pick the lid up. Do I ever get a break with you?

Retsu: You are so inconsiderate!

Kenny: And you're such a fuckin' nag! Geez, just look next time and you won't fall in or do somethin' about it. I don't know. Stop talkin so much and do somethin'.

Retsu: *Pulls out her sword.* I just might...

Ah... Fun times. Reminds me of how my parents get along, actually (well... No death as of yet, but they argue about some of the weirdest things like "Why the hell is one of your hair ties on the fucking microwave handle. Do you have to do your hair while you wait for your stupid fucking pop tart?" or "Dammit, why do you shed in the fucking shower? Our drain is plugged! You hear me? It's plugged! No wonder you're going bald you dumb ass!" And I always try to have popcorn ready for these moments cause they are fun, but once a stay brush hit me so I keep my distance now, or carry a makeshift shield if I do venture close).

*I reference "Art of War" - Sunzi (no text) and "Romeo and Juliet" - Shakespeare(Prologue, full) in this chapter.

*Safuuru is being an excellent sound-boarder (I don't know... Is that correct to use the word like that? You know what, I'm fifteen. Leave me and my grammar alone) and Nightkill a beyond excellent beta. Seriously. She doesn't waste time and has the chapters done in advance and yes. Huge thanks/internet hug/knight dubbing despite I'm not authorized to do so/cookies (and not the things that aid with advertisement because nobody wants those)/cake to you guys! I'm still working out why I need a team to write something... But that's of no concern to you guys, you're a big help.

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"_You can't be serious, Yumichika..." Isane said, more pleading with him than asking or telling._

"_Of course I am. If Captain Unohana finds Hanataro he'll be in trouble. And if my Captain finds him so early on he might be killed, so just do as I said and everything will be fine," the flamboyant man answered and gave a wink. "I have to go make sure Ikkaku isn't fed to Mayuri's newest experiment by my Captain, so I'll see you later!" He was gone in an instant._

Isane wanted to punch him, but for some reason she didn't. Maybe it was because he had a good idea, using prisoner's handcuffs that ate up spiritual pressure and putting Hanataro somewhere in the underground sewer systems, or maybe it was just because he left too quickly for her to work up the nerve. One thing was for sure, though, if Retsu caught Hanataro while she was in such a foul mood, he wouldn't have a chance.

But following the instructions of someone in the eleventh squad was sickening in and of itself. Hanataro couldn't be left up to fate, however, and she'd never had even guessed as to how to acquire these handcuffs, nor had she the capacity to come up with any type of intricate plan. She sighed as she put the handcuffs around one of Hanataro's wrists and started to the closest manhole. She ran quite a distance without Hanataro waking up, so she assumed he had taken medicine to sleep. Starting back on alcohol and then taking it away from your body erratically made it hard to get a night's sleep. Isane felt bad for a moment, taking Hanataro from his bed without him even knowing, but it was too important to keep someone with such a delicate personality away from the harshness Retsu was capable of dealing out after being subjected to an afternoon with Kenpachi.

Besides, she believed that Hanataro and Ikkaku could work, if it weren't for everyone else ruining them. She did as she was told and waited about fifty meters from a manhole in the center of the eleventh squad barracks, setting Hanataro down on a cot she'd set up before she even set off to get him. Hopefully he'd just stay asleep until morning, where he could go and get his stuff and leave.

The manhole was opened and Yumichika jumped down with a few bags and a big grin. "You forgot his things. No worries, though. I have Ikkaku at the Repentance Cell, so his spiritual pressure isn't being tracked by anything."

"You have him there? That's dangerous! What are you thinking?" Isane yelled.

"It's okay. The kido corps don't really care to stick around if there aren't any prisoners and no one else is going to be snooping around," Yumichika answered with a grin.

"What's up with you and doing something nice for Hanataro?" Isane asked. She understood Yumichika trying to help Ikkaku in every way, but just doing something out of the goodness in his heart for a fourth division member didn't quite make sense.

"I'm not that horrible. Besides, if Hanataro wasn't so dull and put some effort into how he looked, he might pass as a shorter and less beautiful version of myself."

"So he almost looks like you and that's why?"

"I didn't say that," Yumichika said quickly. "I just look out for fellow beautiful people, but don't compare me to him like that. He couldn't possibly ever reach my level of beauty, period." He paused for a moment and walked over to him. "However, Ikkaku would want me to help out this twerp, and I sort of owe him a favor since he helped cover for me missing work for a week while I went to a fashion show in the human world."

"That's not allowed-"

"Hey, now. Your Captain wouldn't be happy if she heard you're part of a conspiracy in her division."

"Conspiracy...?"

"Okay, strong word," Yumichika smiled. "But she wouldn't like the news either way, and I could certainly tell her as much as she needs to be very angry with you, and not enough to get Hanataro."

Isane sighed. One thing was for sure, those rumors of Yumichika's mischievous and backstabbing nature were more than just exaggerated lies. He didn't mind blackmail in the least, and he seemed not to have to even try to get it. "I'm not going to say anything, Yumichika. Just, can you take care of waking Hanataro up to leave and getting him out without Captain Unohana getting to him?"

"Of course, that's why I had you bring him here," Yumichika answered. "Well, that and we're a lot closer to the walls than your division's barracks are."

It was hard to say exactly why Isane believed in him, but Yumichika seemed like he was trustworthy enough to do what he said he would. Isane left with a little more confidence in the plan then she had previously, knowing that time would cool down her Captain more than words ever would. It wasn't in Retsu's nature to stay angry in the first place, and if she were to spend a few days without reminders of what upset her, everything would turn out nice. Maybe not perfect, but the conversation would be more tame if time was allowed to be used to heal the irrationality of Retsu's anger.

Or, not really so much as irrational, but a type of maternal instincts that kicked in if she thought for a minute Hanataro would be hurt. The fourth division was blessed with a calm and kind Captain, as well as cursed with the occasional times in which she would become more of a mother than a commander and try to be a bit overprotective. Isane understood that because she was the same as her Captain in the respect, but Retsu hadn't been there when Hanataro explained how he felt. If she was then she'd be one hundred times more patient.

Why was this so difficult? Isane thought dismally.

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"You're back," Ikkaku said with a smirk. He was sitting on top of Senzaikyu, waiting for his friend to finish whatever business he had.

"Yeah, I brought something to read," Yumichika held up a new looking book from the human world. "I got it last time I was on a mission in the human world, and I thought you might like to hear some of it?"

"Why would I want to read one of your stupid lovey-dovey books?"

"How did you know that's what it is?" Yumichika asked pouting.

"Because that's the only type of book you're ever interested in buying."

"I bought one called the 'Art of War', too. It was pretty good. And it wasn't a romantic book at all."

"Why didn't you bring it, then?"

"Because it goes over your head, and you need to learn to be a little more romantic for your new boyfriend."

Ikkaku glared, but Yumichika ignored him, and opened his book. "Want me to read it?"

"Whatever," Ikkaku replied and laid down. It would pass the time at least.

*"Two households, both alike in dignity,  
>In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,<br>From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,  
>Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.<br>From forth the fatal loins of these two foes  
>A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;<br>Whole misadventured piteous overthrows  
>Do with their death bury their parents' strife.<br>The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,  
>And the continuance of their parents' rage,<br>Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,  
>Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;" Yumichika began, flowing effortlessly between the words as if he could have read the book from heart rather than from the pages he held, Ikkaku lying next to him, half dozing and half listening.<p>

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	20. Chapter 20

Yay! For all whom didn't understand quite yet, this is a parellel between Romeo & Juliet. Or at least, that's where Yumichika is getting some of his ideas from. He likes to think of himself as a more beautiful Friar Laurence, who thinks a bit before he shoves people in tombs and sends them to live in exile without planning very well how to contact the damn person (I really hated how stupid the Friar was. "Here, instead of telling your parents you're married and you can't be married again, drink this potion that will make you look like your dead (though I have a complaint there. The potion stopped Juliet's pulse okay? BUT her lips were still rosy, according to Romeo and her skin wasn't pale like she was dead, and the blood pumping keeps you that color. Damn you Shakespeare! The play was good and all, but gr!), go lie in a tomb for a day or two, then I'll have Romeo go pick you up, so long as the messenger doesn't get turned around. Off you go now!" …..Prick...)

I wonder if Yumichika will search for Shakespeare now, though. I mean, he's dead. He should be in the Soul Society somewhere.

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Isane raised her eyebrow. "Yumichika... I don't really understand-"

"What do you mean? It's perfect!" Yumichika grabbed his notebook from Isane's hand. "Simple, okay? Ikkaku and Hanataro are like Romeo and Juliet, except Ikkaku's not romantic and Hanataro's not a thirteen year old girl. Anyway, Ikkaku's gonna mess everything up if we leave it to him and Hanataro is going to get squished by his Captain. Hey, I just realized, there's no love triangle. I'll work that in later."

"Why do you want to add complications?"

"Oh, good point. Well, if I'm the beautiful Friar, and you're helping, then you be the Nurse."

"You're getting a little too carried away with this, don't you think?"

"Not at all," Yumichika answered, and unfortunately for Isane, was completely oblivious to his own irrationality. "See, the sewers were kind of like the catacombs, and... Well, I'll fill in something instead of Ikkaku dying from poison and Hanataro shouldn't stab himself. I hope Shakespeare doesn't mind I can't follow this exactly."

"Let me see that list again," Isane said and took the notebook, which was neatly written with a few scribbles here and there, and read it for the second time that day.

_Ikkaku would be so far lost without me. Luckily, I read the play to him yesterday so now he has some idea of what to do. I've decided that this romance is just too cute (and let's face it, Ikkaku can't ever find someone to be interested in him so this isn't something I can throw away!) to let die. I'm going to be like the Friar, only not a stupid Friar nor am I religious... But I'm going to make these two work!_

_List of what not to do;_

_1. No potions_

_2. No secretly marrying lustful idiots_

_3. No putting those faint of heart in tombs_

_4. Avoid tights(it's a well-known fact they're what made everyone stupid in this play, though the science behind it is yet to be thoroughly explained. I'll get Mayuri on that later.)_

_5. No servants, they're annoying_

_5. Avoid Head Captain Yamamoto, he's like the Prince, I guess?_

_6. Watch out and make sure Retsu doesn't die of heart attack_

_7. Make sure Kenpachi doesn't slap Ikkaku around too much (or should I reverse that? Make Retsu the Capulet and Kenpachi the Montague? No, it sounds better the way I made it first. But I'm confused now... If Hanataro is Juliet and... Oh forget it, there's not logic in the damn play anyways so why should I bother with it here?)_

_8. Don't send a messenger to do anything unless they can do their job right._

_9. No fake funerals._

_10. Wait, what was done right in this play?_

"Yumichika?"

"It's just a working list. It sounds like fun, though. I have a guideline on what to avoid now," Yumichika answered.

"Isn't this all common sense?"

"Well... Give me that!" Yumichika snatched his book backe. "Anyways, we have a really big job to do."

"What's that?"

"The way the play ends! If we're going to mirror the play, then we have to get the one really happy part of the thing to happen!"

"I haven't read the play, Yumichika..."

"Oh. That's right. We have to make the two feuding divisions get along. We can't afford two golden statues, though, and I don't really want to kill either of our starstruck lovers, so..."

"So?"

"I don't know, I haven't gotten that far yet. Maybe I can just beat everyone in my division into submission and they'll be scared of their own shadow, then they won't bother the fourth division anymore," Yumichika smiled at his idea. "Yeah, that sounds like it'll work."

"No, it doesn't," Isane sighed. How had she gotten herself into this mess? Ikkaku had been right when he warned her of his best friend's insanity.

"Well, let's hear you come up with something better?"

"Just give me a minute and I will," she replied and took the notebook, starting to scribble a bit on an empty page as Yumichika looked over her shoulder with some interest as to what someone so innocent as Isane could come up with.

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Walking outside Seireitei into one of Soul Society's districts was like stepping right from a paradise in which the injured get treated and the hungry were fed into a hell that cared nothing about its inhabitants unless they were of noble blood. Hanataro really hated when he had to look at children who were thin as wires running around, stealing to survive and not being allowed to stop and help them because of the shortness of time. His eyes felt heavy as he tried to examine the state of Rukongai, eventually making him give up as he was too tired to even understand what he laid eyes upon.

He woke up early that morning with Yumichika shaking him, and telling him to leave before Retsu could think of a way to impede him, and for a moment was a bit angry that he was taken from his room and put in the underground systems, but it was for his own benefit. He left like he was advised without another word to non-commissioned guardian, though he had hoped to see Isane before he departed. She always saw him off on missions, but more than likely she was too busy occupying their Captain, even at hours like this.

The area he was told to go and help heal victims of civil unrest was the Kusajishi, 79th north district of Rukongai, which alone worried Hanataro. He'd heard stories about how the streets were perpetually red as it was, along with its close neighbor, Zaraki, 80th district in north Rukongai, it was one of the most lawless areas in all of the Soul Society. Violence was as common as breathing, which meant of course that if there was civil unrest so great that Soul Reapers must be dispatched, then what used to be mere puddles of blood must be more like rivers.

Lieutenant Yachiru was more than clear about how incredibly violent her hometown was, and Hanataro had also heard that if it weren't for Kenpachi protecting her, then she would have been killed. It was so hard to imagine that when she was a baby she would've been walked on sooner than around, but at the same time there was no reason to think she was exaggerating.

He, against his best interest, walked all the way through the crummiest neighborhoods that could ever had been thought of by himself. By the time it was midday, he'd made it all the way to the 60th district. He took a break at a small family restaurant, knowing that it would be bad for his health if he didn't have something to eat before he had to work. For a moment he doubted his ability to hold the food down, but then again, he'd seen quite a bit of gruesome scenes as an emergency medic, and tried to comfort himself. By the time he got his food, it sounded like a procession of horses were running through the streets.

Hanataro ignored the loud sounds as best as he could and ate quickly so he could get moving again. It shouldn't be anything to worry about – at least not if they didn't hurt anyone.

"Bonnie, don't do that, no wait, don't, stop that, Bonnie!" A familiar voice called, running right passed the shop, the thundering hooves hitting the dirt road soon was followed by a loud crash.

"Ganju...?" Hanataro thought allowed.

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I'm going to bed now. Coffee has failed me. It's only five o'clock as I type. Five in the afternoon and I'm going to sleep. Or at least I will try (I'm never going to be left alone... And I still have to make dinner. Well... Maybe they can all live on stored fat for a while, I'm sleeping.)

Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel is so amazing. Go listen to it. Their names are awesome too, so now you will go to Youtube just to type in "Garfunkel" because it sounds cool. Go! And come back in two days for the next installment of the story. :)


	21. Chapter 21

I cannot tell you how much I've looked forward to writing this chapter. It's not a lemon or any other citrus, so don't get excited. It's fucking better. (If no one understands why I'm so happy, it's getting to describe mutilations in the first time since I don't even know when! Oh I love it so much. God, I need to write this stuff more! Lucky for you guys I don't have all day to write this chapter or it would be scary long because I've filled up entire notebooks with just gruesome-ness. Hell, I haven't been so excited since I got to describe the decaying peacock in my "Candy Catalyst" story, but this is even more fun... Okay, enough with my pointless rant! Enjoy the carnage! Serious, gruesome, mentally disturbing carnage... I was dancing in my seat when I wrote this)

Kenji Yamashita – Blonde member of Ganju's group, with the sunglasses.

Mitsuru Ishino – Member of Ganju's group with big blue afro

Sadatmoto Saioniji – Bald member of Ganju's group

Taichi Miyamoto – is the one with greenish Izuru-like hair.

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Hanataro left the money for his meal on the table and scrambled out of the restaurant. Ganju was lying in a heap of splintering wood, trying to regain his senses as the owner of the small stand he had crashed into shouted at him. His group brought their boars to a halt about ten feet away from their fallen boss and ran over to him, Sadatmoto's frightening demeanor able to silence the enraged shopkeeper.

"Boss, this is no good! Your sister told us to be of some use down at Kusajishi and we're only at the 60th district!" Taichi began, trying to pull Ganju from the heap of ruble.

"Ganju!" Hanataro ran over. "Ganju, are you okay?"

"Does anyone care if I'm okay?" the shopkeeper asked, plainly annoyed.

After Ganju stood and pulled Bonnie out from the wreckage as Hanataro proceeded to check over him for anything serious. "Hana, what are you doing all the way out here? You can't fight if someone shows up to attack ya," Ganju commented, letting the medic search for anything that might be a problem, occasionally picking out splinters and anything else necessary.

"Anyone?" the shopkeeper persisted.

"Well," Hanataro began, oblivious to the annoyed merchant. "I'm on an emergency relief mission. My team's not really strong enough to follow me, though I should be okay..."

"No way," Ganju immediately said. "You just come with us, you'll get eaten alive in the lower districts. Where ya headed?"

"The seventy-ninth district," Hanataro replied, through with the examination. "I need to treat some of these, or else they'll get infected."

"I give up," the shopkeeper said, loudly enough to catch the attention of Ganju's group, though he was dismissed quickly as annoying and ignored still. The shopkeeper resigned himself to pick up pieces of his shattered stand while mumbling about damned tourists.

Ganju smiled and put his hand on Hanataro's shoulder, nearly knocking him over with the friendly gesture. "Get on my Bonnie then, we're going there too!"

"Ganju, I don't really think-"

Without listening to the rest, Ganju threw Hanataro on the annoyed looking boar, telling her to go. A quick start from the awkward animal nearly knocked Hanataro off, but he was caught by the sleeve of his uniform, while Bonnie ran undeterred.

Once he got his body back on the boar, Hanataro was just beginning to see all of what Yachiru had said was true. This place was like hell, more than any of the districts he'd been to yet. The farthest he'd ever been sent was the high fifties, which were poverty-stricken but so hopeless that violence didn't even cross many of the citizen's minds.

Now in the early seventies, a different mentality was being shown. Very few people exerted any spiritual pressure, but they were plainly strong. Bulked up from years of hard labor, which was required to survive in a place with so little help as this, the men and even some of the women had sake and bloodshed on their minds at all times. Instead of changing the place for the better, they realized that somewhere so far from any riches would never become pristine like the first ten districts. They weren't lost in their search for entertainment, either, like some of their predecessors.

As they thundered through the district, Hanataro saw there was absolutely no respect for laws that were laid down here. It was so frightening, like he'd stepped into hell instead of the lower end of North Rukongai. Just as Yachiru had told him, the roads were more liberally paved with crusted blood than dirt, and if any buildings had been white at one point, they were yellowed with age and sprayed with blood, new and old.

Some of the lighter colored buildings, where it was plain they'd painted recently, showed under the low quality paint where splays of blood had been in the open for all eyes to see. In the light colors, you could see that it was almost like a macabre pattern that held some semblance to the wall art Hanataro had seen in the human world, only considerably less colorful. Random splatters could tell the story of when someone's head was smashed against the wood where there was a large indent. Another accompanied with a small hole told of someone who'd been stabbed and left to bleed out as the dark marks flowed down as if it was just slowly trickled as they were pinned.

On one building in particular there were perhaps about three inches total on the surface that seemed clean of blood. The rest looked like a high-pressure hose was taken to the walls and coated like paint. Hanataro tried not to pay attention to all these things, because they made his stomach churn, but at the same time he couldn't avert his attention. On the building painted with blood, he realized it was a bar. Inside there were puddles of red, and a woman was yelling at some man she seemed to be in a knife fight with. She was so bulky that if it weren't for her breasts, that still seemed to have some semblance of femininity rather than excessive muscle, Hanataro wouldn't have known any better than to assign her the male gender.

He looked away, though the building was passed in a second, he felt like he'd stared inside the place for hours, taking in every wound and misfortune inflicted upon every member inside. When he averted his eyes he saw on the side of the street there was a young boy, dead and tossed aside like a rag doll. He was thin, regarding his arms and legs smaller than you'd find most twigs, and his body was turning black with rot. Most of his clothes were torn with wear and it looked like he'd been raped, then thrown to the side, his face carved off his body with a crude dagger.

The sights were about to make Hanataro throw up, so he buried his face into Ganju's back, hoping sincerely that his friend would understand.

"It's not pretty, huh?" Ganju asked after a few seconds silence.

Hanataro didn't reply. If he opened his mouth he'd lose the food he'd eaten earlier in the day.

"I'd like to say something to make you feel better, but there isn't anything. It gets worse, not better. Just don't look until you have to is all I can tell ya."

Still not comfortable with opening his mouth, with his stomach churning the way it was, Hanataro just hummed; "M hm."

Ganju had been sent to quiet riots here before, he knew all the sights. If you heard a woman screaming, she was probably being raped. That was ignored as in the human world car sirens meant to alert people of burglars were. If you saw a carved up body, it was just as likely cannibalized as anything else. Something here, with the air of crime drove anyone crazy if they stayed long enough for it to take its hold. Ganju would never allow himself to become as sick as most of the civilians here, but he had once stayed for several months and had become so far gone that he couldn't tell what was real from what he imagined. Voices in his head and voices spoken in reality were of no consequence, they were impossible to tell the difference from them.

It was too early for someone like Hanataro, who lived around gore as a job, to lose his grip on reality, Ganju knew that. He was worrying already how someone as kind as he was could put up with the pure cruelty from these people, who no longer seemed as if they really were people. They belonged in hell more than any hollow or any murderer, but Soul Reapers couldn't be bothered cleaning places like this up.

"Ganju," Hanataro finally managed to talk, though he couldn't look at any more of the mutilation that surrounded them as they continued the trek. "Someone's screaming. We should help."

"We need to get to the riot, more people will be hurt the longer we take."

Sadatmoto rode his boar next to Bonny. "I'll go and meet you," he spoke lowly, as if it were his second language and he had trouble speaking it.

"Right. Hurry," Ganju replied. It was so normal to hear the screams, this time of a child, though he wasn't sure of their gender. The kid, unless being tortured, would more than likely be dead by the time Sadatmoto tracked the voice and their murderer would be long gone. There was no way he could have the heart to tell that to Hanataro, though, so he was glad for Sadatmoto's caring attitude to give the medic some peace of mind.

They continued through the districts. At seventy-three Ganju saw there was some soul who was both bold and bored, as heads had been ripped off several woman and children crudely, so they could be put on top of wooden stakes to line the road. Their bodies were strewn in alleyways, as if they were too mundane to be put on display as their heads were, and were just waiting to be taken to the dumpsters and be out of sight. In district seventy-four, Ganju was very thankful that Hanataro had not yet found himself able to look at any of the brutal sights that were laid around them.

The boars charged on with Bonnie in the lead, dashing around or jumping over corpses that were laid about in several places as large circles. All of them were stripped of clothing, be them large and brusque men or petite women and children. They faced into the dirt and they were made to hold hands. Each of them seemed to be killed by either poison or wounds to the front asthere was no visible injuries on any of the bodies that would have caused death. The also all had very shallow carvings of uncaring phrases and smiling faces.

"These things happen."

"Life will go on."

"Dreams are beautiful, but life is more so."

"Beauty awakens the soul to act."

Ganju didn't look at another body, it was all so sick and disgusting to him. He might be in the same boat as Hanataro if the carnage was to continue to only get worse. The seventy-fifth district was for some reason absent of all things disgustingly obscene at first glance. He soon fond out why. Windows in a butcher's shop all had children kneeling, pale and obviously dead, holding trays of finely cut meat. They were clothed, though blood that had soaked through the fine fabric on their unusually nice bearings showed that the meat on the trays was from their own body, their eyes replaced with marbles and their mouth sewn together so they would appear for a while perfectly fine. The closer Ganju examined them, the more he noticed, and luckily he was sped past the window before he could see too much of the insanely grotesque sight.

Please, Ganju thought, do not look up, Hanataro. He gave Bonnie a small nudge, asking her to please go a bit faster before he lost his sanity again. The sights were only going to get more bizarre, he knew. Something about being completely free and knowing that no one cared about you made you feel like acting out. Being completely sick. Freedom here meant letting the worst of human nature rear its ugly head.

Bonnie sped up as asked, feeling as if she couldn't take the ugliness of the empty streets soaked with an alarming amount of blood that even caused fetid and fly infested, muddy puddles in places. Ganju glanced behind him to see his crew all looking less than okay, many about to throw up and a few about to lose it. They had to be strong, though. They knew their boss was counting on them, so they averted their eyes and tried not to breathe in too much, else the overwhelming stench of fresh and old blood mingling, the decaying meat and fecal matter would cause them to retch out everything they've eaten in the past few days, if they breathed to freely. Disgusting or not, their destination wasn't going to come to them, so they continued to try to hold in the bile that was creeping through their throats. Soon they'd remove everything from their bodies while even stomach acid was no longer present, but they couldn't do that while riding. Or at least, they cared enough about their entourage to not add to the medley of unholy stench that they were subjected to.

Ganju felt proud that his group was holding up as well as they were and hoped he'd be a good example for the rest of the ride. District seventy-six came up. He rode through it, forcing himself not to pay too close attention to the macabre display that was put out, knowing no one would come to teach them to be any different. They had no reason or desire to change, and they were guaranteed to keep on after the upset was over, with the carnal pleasures they've come to indulge. It was hard not to look as he rode though. There are many sights that you do not want to be glued to, but your wants and your body don't always agree. Ganju saw the display even when he tried to look away, it was too broadly placed to avert your eyes without shutting them. Someone had dug motes about a foot deep with human and animal bodies alike, as if they weren't distinguished in the culprit's eye, lining it with slit wrists or necks, just bleeding into the ground and filling the moat in places where the earth could take no more moisture. How these places even had a population at all was beginning to grate on Ganju's mind as Bonnie increased her speed yet again on her own accord.

District seventy-seven. Ganju was so sure nothing could top what he'd seen so far, but he was wrong. The ones who had put the heads on stakes to line the street was only a copycat, and a lame one at that, it seemed. There was a forest of ten foot tall stakes with bodies vertical on them, arms with sticks driven through them as well as the stake so they would perpetually be seen as someone awaiting a hug. Their faces had all been cut so they would be flat, and pieces of black cloth was sewn onto the heads so nothing to deferential one body from its neighbor was present. The stakes that had overtaken the streets so completely that Ganju had to run through alleyways to avoid touching the stakes and keep the blood from dripping on him.

He was pretty sure that there was nothing keeping him grounded to reality before he even reached the end of the seventy-seventh district. By the seventy-eighth, he heard screaming so loud that the ground Bonnie was galloping on shook. The riot had consumed the next district over, charges of over-muscled civilians were all that could be heard, over even the loud pounding of the boar's hooves on the bloodied ground.

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I should do a favorite OC character poll. The shopkeeper gets my vote. I wish you could attach polls to stories. (Wait, can you? But then again there are characters from other stories like Candy Catalyst that I want to use, like the undead peacock thing... Ah, the woes of a writer. No one has it worse /sarcasm/)

_**You cannot save everyone. To try to perpetuate life is as if to stand up in mockery of everyone who ever is to live and all who have died. You cannot prevail against what has been decided, and death is one definite in life. Do your research, make your medicine but know that you do not live to see another day. You only live to die another time. So go ahead and rot before your body caves beneath you as you make your notes and live your sad little life behind a university gate. Live as you will, believe and embrace the lie of immortality, but even words that you write will die.**_


	22. Chapter 22

I really looked forward to this chapter, too. But for those of you who are squeamish to blood and gore, this chapter isn't as bad. I got it out of my system when I wrote something paying homage to one of Clive Barker's characters who is a butcher (fun, as always) earlier, and then with that previous chapter. Sometimes I just have to write things like that, though, and I am an author. I should write what I like, yes?

I am a bit depressed, though.

Schools coming back by the end of the month. (Okay, I'm VERY depressed)

(And somewhat curious as to how many people I've scared away, but mostly depression.)

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One drop of water isn't a problem. Though if it continuously charges at something, a small dent will be made eventually, it must have successors to do real damage. A few drops still will not change the grand scheme of things, nor will a stream. But rushing rapids or constant rain can push even magnificent structures off their foundation and bring the mightiest of accomplishment to rusted reminders of the past. Mountains can become ruble when time isn't an object and the wind will howl relentlessly as well as harshly.

The African Driver Ant is a powerful type of insect which normally not very dangerous, although there is the possibility of their poison killing in large quantities, and their unbelievable strength while in numbers. A large colony could transport a body of a fully grown human to their hill, feeding on the meat to grow and furnish their precious larvae.

Seireitei entertains the notion that the Soul Society is made of ants, and they are the keeper of the farm which their busy pets drone on, burrowing unendingly with no goal but at least a task. They don't understand that even when one ant can be crushed with their thumb as nothing more than a boring chore, the colony once millions gather, can be a frightening force. When the strongest and most potent creatures that have nothing to do in the part of shaping society chose to get together in an anxious gathering with only the purpose of getting rid of excess energy something chaotic was the only possible thing to ensue. Boredom can result in cruelty, cruelty can result in insanity, and insanity requires no company but plenty of encouragement.

Ganju was far from the poetic type. He didn't care for sentimentality or speak in anything more than prose, he had nothing profound to share with friends nor did he seek to enlighten himself more than he sought to give lectures. It was hard to think unlike a philosopher when he laid eyes on the rioting here though. For the most part, everyone seemed strong if you were to glance at them. The citizens, not wearing any type of uniform, were easily distinguished from their enemies. Rebel cries resounded through the air, though only barely louder than the thundering footsteps of rushing mobs.

The sight of the people impaled upon stakes, having their faces taken from them flashed into his mind as he brought Bonnie to a halt just outside the seventy-eighth district. Maybe the ones who committed the heinous act meant well, despite the insanity of their method, they removed from existence an audience to witness this pain. Fleetingly, Ganju remembered hearing a saying in the human world; "A merciful death is kinder than a life of pain."

Perhaps that was right.

Taichi was one of the more timid members of Ganju's group, and finally he couldn't help himself any longer. Once his boar stopped, he slid off of it and retched. The sights that he had seen, in addition to the overwhelming stench of blood and rot had pushed him over the edge, much past his limits. He kept expelling until there was nothing left, and even then his body tried to lose what it didn't have. After a while, he had to force himself to stop the act though he had little control over it. His breath was so short he could have fainted and fell face first into the bile and food he'd just lost.

"You guys stay here," Ganju said softly. "If you can, do whatever has to be done to decrease the body count, Hana and I are going to try to get the injured somewhere safe."

Hanataro took that they were finally there, and although he would have been content with doing the whole thing blind behind a tent, healing those who came in with practiced calm and forced distance, he couldn't ask for Ganju to allow him a luxury like that while he braved the macabre decorations of the riot. No wonder the Soul Reapers had finally chosen to extent of their reach, this place was disgusting. Even Ikkaku wouldn't enjoy a place so bathed in blood.

Was Yachiru ever subjected to this? Hanataro asked himself as he looked up. Charging towards imminent death were bulky civilians of either sex though males were dominate. Soul Reapers were allowing themselves to be put in serious danger by not dealing lethal blows where it could be avoided to the transgressors. They seemed as if they wanted death, though. No one who was cut down would stay still, crawling if they had arms, kicking if they had legs and biting if they had none of their limbs.

"Stop," Hanataro said lightly. "Please, stop."

Ganju could only just hear Hanataro's silent plea. He thought back to the circle of corpses with hands joined. It all seemed to be saying something, though he didn't know what. Unity was here, though. Everyone was beautiful in their own way, and ugly as well , though the insanity of the cruelty he'd witnessed earlier put the most different types of bodies all together like a wreath of flowers. Did they want the fighting to stop so much they destroyed the army which was going to fight, or was it simply over-thinking the situation that even made him think of something so seemingly absurd?

"Hana, I know it's not something you want to do, but we have to get the injured-"

Hanataro jumped off Bonnie and ran into the crowd with his hand on his zanpakuto. Having Bonnie stay behind with his crew, Ganju ran after Hanataro with nothing but the intent to save his friend from the power of desperation that permeated the air in the lower districts. Hanataro didn't know the meaning of desperation, and had no way to combat something so pronounced as well as powerful.

Again, another philosophic thought crept into Ganju's mind, though not willfully. "Know thine enemy." His family was completely wiped out, he saw the corpse of his brother and saved someone whom he believed to be the one who killed him. Ganju knew desperation as intimately as he knew fireworks, which was to the point that he felt uncomfortable when there was none in his vicinity. Someone delicate couldn't fight this kind of need anymore than a lone flower in a field could cease a hurricane, Hanataro's innocence couldn't simply wipe away the hate that seemed tangible enough to have become one with the air and seep deeply into the soil.

Kindness no more belonged to a place so full of hate anymore than black mold belonged in a kitchen. Or maybe that was too poor of a comparison, Hanataro's presence was not so threatening.

Ganju ran into the crowd, carefully avoiding the civilians who charged into their suppressors that had finally showed their faces. For a moment, Ganju thought he understood the why as to the entire thing happening. After being left alone for so long, they only wanted to know that there was someone still watching over them, but neglect had fostered hatred towards their uncaring guardians. That hatred could result in Hanataro's demise.

"Retreat, Soul Reapers!" Hanataro's voice had echoed, somehow being loud enough to be heard over the loud boom of charging steps and even making it over the sound of war cries.

For some reason, his command was listened to even though he's a member of the non-combat division and shouldn't even be on the front lines. He had healed some of the wounds that he passed when running into the middle of the battle field, and for the first time Ganju saw his friend's zanpakuto working fully. With a release of his Shikai, sending the blast far, Ganju felt a substance in the air that made his body feel numb. He remembered it as being the anesthetic he used when they'd first teamed up to save Rukia, Shinten. The rebels fell to their knees, eventually fainting completely.

How? Ganju looked at the unlikely resolver of this battle, though likely not the war, as if it were an alien rushing around to heal the injured instead of his friend.

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Anyone having as much fun reading as I am writing? I seriously doubt that, but please don't be mad at lack of romance here. I like to think romance doesn't develop the way most stories portray it; With stalkerish obsession and instantaneous love. I'll get to where I wanna go when I get there, and it is moving. Remember Ikkaku, Yumichika and Shakespeare, though. It's all important. Kind of. All right, not so much. But don't forget them just because there is epic blood and gore here.

(Oh, and question. What happened to standards for writing? Did they ever exist? Because if so I want to know why the cretins who write stories that go:

Hardly on speaking terms.

Rape and or creepy stalkerish obsession.

Instantaneous love.

Caring.

Etc.

These people are the bane of my existence. I try to write something decent but these little hobgoblins are like butterflies. Ugly and worthless, but they've got pretty wings and get all the attention. The can go burn.)

Anyways! Enjoy what is to follow.


	23. Chapter 23

Is apathy evil?

Or merely enlightened?

Should we hate so much the act of sloth?

Or is it just that we were told what to hate sin?

And so we listen like good sheep and obey dutifully?

Who decided that writing required passion, or love commitment?

Who defines words the way that they are?

We can't accept the low standards of the populace, could we?

Actions are done easily just as words are said.

So should consistency speak louder than both words and actions?

Or are we all too selfish to see?

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How someone could be alive in the condition so many were brought in was mind-numbing to look at. Ganju had stood in the tent with Hanataro to hand him instruments and just let him know that he wasn't going through this alone for a few hours, but eventually even he couldn't take the carnage. It didn't matter that this was going to heal the patients, it reminded him each time that Hanataro sewed a wound closed of the black faces sewn onto those who were impaled, and each time he took a broken piece of sword out of a body he remembered the children displayed in the butcher's shops. He thought if he couldn't be strong for the young medic, then he should distance himself until he could find the strength again.

There was a child who's lower half was trampled during one of the charges, though how the rest of him was spared wasn't a story that was shared. His legs were so thoroughly stomped upon that it felt like a bag of sand and small gravel. Blood had left completely his lower half, a rope belt that he was wearing serving as a tourniquet that saved him from dying of *exsanguination. Hanataro wondered why it was so tightly knotted, like the child had some knowledge of medicine, but there was no time to ask. An amputation was critical if the child should survive, so Hanataro got to work on cutting the rope, then the boy.

Next there was a woman who Hanataro easily mistook as a man at first glance; she had lead one of the charges. She was as likely to have trampled children under her mammoth feet as any of the other rebels he had in the tent, but Hanataro would do his best to save her either way. There were so many stab wounds going through her body that she was like a grotesque human version of *Emmental cheese. Some were so close to vital organs that Hanataro was amazed at her breathing, a millimeter difference on one could have led to the pain of stomach acid pouring through her body and dissolving everything.

There were more children and broken-looking people than barbarians, though. None of them seemed to be too underfed, besides maybe one or two. They had no spiritual pressure, really, unless they were part of the rebel forces, and so many of those with pressure had a mere fraction of what the weakest of the fourth division would have. Malnourishment, however, was an accessory to the look of someone who was broken, not a necessity.

It was late the next day before Hanataro was allowed to take a break, not eating or sleeping at all while he treated the injured and frail victims, and the brutes that had caused them pain side by side. It didn't matter that they were enemies, it just mattered to Hanataro that the body count stay as low as possible. He walked out of the tent with heavy eyes, and saw Ganju along with his crew sitting nearby with their boars sleeping around them. They all had minor injuries and Hanataro rushed as much as he could in his diminished state over to them. "Let me take care of those-"

"Don't bother Hana. We can handle ourselves," Ganju said with a sigh. He kept telling himself to be strong, but even Hanataro's eyes were starting to lose their sparkle and look broken like the majority of his patients. "You know, I remember something happening like this a long time ago."

"Riots happen all the time," Hanataro answered. Maybe none that Soul Reapers were sent to past the seventies, but they were known to happen everywhere with frightening consistency. For some reason, Hanataro seriously doubted at this point that Sereitei's intentions were only to reduce casualties here. More likely something selfish, but he had come to do some marginal amount of good whether that was the original intention of his deployment or not.

"Soul Reapers aren't sent out normally," Ganju said gruffly. He wanted to find out why Soul Reapers were here again, and he thought if he managed to tell the tale of his first time coming here then Hanataro would be able to fill in the blanks.

"So?"

"Mayuri came here two or three years ago, I think that's what sis said," Ganju started. Anything with Mayuri involved, Hanataro knew the story would be as gruesome as the trip here. "He did something that made the eleventh squad deploy down here. Minus their Captain, but someone like that shouldn't be sent to keep peace anyways."

"I remember now. Captain Unohana came too, the casualties were pretty bad," Hanataro said. "She never said a whole lot about it, though."

"I hope this isn't anything like that time," Ganju sighed once he heard Hanataro didn't know much. Gore was more common than grass here, screaming pronounced a hundreds time more than birdsong, and his life had been much like that. This had gotten too intense too quickly, though. Hanataro was at least a positive in this mess, and he didn't even seem to be losing grip under all the pressure. Or at least, that's what Ganju hoped, believing his empty eyes were a result of no food or rest. Ganju had to think positively as much as he could. Presumably, he'd seen worse during his countless years of service in Sereitei's fourth division.

"Were you here?"

"Yeah, sis sent me. She always wants to at least know what's goin' on."

Hanataro didn't want to ask too much about it unless Ganju offered. He seemed beat up enough about coming here, and seemed to be in no mood to talk about his last visit. "The best way is not to think."

"Huh?" Hanataro's sudden solemnity and vague comment got Ganju off his guard.

"Just talk about something different then all this. Eventually you forget what caused you to be upset. Try only to think about it when it's absolutely necessary. That's what we learned in our training to deal with things that could break our minds down."

"Hanataro, I'm fine," Ganju scoffed. His pride was at stake here; he couldn't admit weakness to the medic. What kind of man was squeamish at the sight of a little blood anyways?

"Liar."

"Whatever," Ganju looked down. His crew all seemed to have been up as long as Hanataro had been, breaking up fights before they could become large enough to do serious damage. The rebels were all too persistent, though, and they'd all returned along with their boss to regroup.

"The Soul Reapers have all been ordered to incapacitate the citizens that are putting up a fight. I know you're supposed to help, but they are capable of doing what needs to be done. Just give them some time."

"Why are you so sure that they're gonna be all right when you've been taking care of the injured? You know how bad it is."

"I can't be sure of anything besides the fact that my patients are going to make it," Hanataro said confidently. "But how we're going to stop the violence will probably be imprisoning the rebels, and eventually we'll have this place back to as peaceful as the lower districts are capable of being."

"That won't work," Taichi muttered lowly. He seemed out of breath even though he'd been sitting ever since Hanataro had come out. They all looked tired, like they had been working non-stop for hours.

Ganju grunted. "He's right. If we take the only ones around here who are capable of working, which are the rebels, then the weaklings we leave behind will all be even worse off then they are now, without anyone strong enough to build shelter or farm some food. Maybe one in twenty have to eat, but you can see there's a hell of a lot of people. A hell of a lot of starving kids and old guys'll be all ya leave behind."

"Well, what do you think then?"

"Take the reason for fighting away."

Hanataro was quiet for a moment before he said; "They don't have any reason."

"I'll tell you their damned reason," Ganju said with a frown. "They hate you and every other Soul Reaper."

"Why?"

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Ikkaku's coming in the next chapter, it is flashbackness (also if you want to interpret you can find out the reason why only weak Soul Reapers were deployed this time to the riots is there)... Remember the things that are happening, they're not there just cause I'm bored, all right? Well, this whole thing is happening because I'm bored, but it's all going to tie up as best as I can make it in the end.

Exsanguination = bleed to death. Coming from Latin, "ex" - to run out of, "anguination" = blood.

Emmental cheese = proper name for Swiss cheese. Aren't you all just learnin' it up? Yes, well, I like to inform as well as entertain.


	24. Chapter 24

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The day was surprisingly clear; the sky hadn't a cloud in sight for miles around, even though it was rainy season. The ground would swallow your foot in places where there weren't too many plants, because of the constant pounding of rain for the past week and a half. Kukaku was anxious now that there was finally a clear day to allow for travel, though she had tried to send her brother when it was still more water than air outside.

Ganju was, for some reason, being sent down to the Zaraki district to quell some loud rebels who were "bothering" his older sister (though they couldn't possibly even have been recognized if it weren't for a messenger sent to her by some unknown menace). He would've left his gang at his sister's service while he was gone, but she insisted he'd need all the help he could get in a place as rough as the eightieth district in North Rukongai, so all of them got on their mounts and headed towards the target. A Captain had come from this part of the Soul Society, but Ganju was fairly sure he had at least enough experience at fighting to stay alive long enough to figure out how to take the aggression out of the crowd. He didn't really understand the magnitude of what was to come, but that didn't diminish his confidence at all.

The boars, particularly Bonnie, did well to understand the weakness of the terrain they were traveling on and avoid sinking. All of the mounts seemed to be intimidated by Kukaku's tone, and the anxiousness that was projected into the air, so, even if only to get away from the impatient woman, they galloped on even faster than normal. Though Ganju had left mid-afternoon they were nearly at their destination before dusk while leaving from the early thirty districts.

Many of the roads were too bothersome to travel on, and he went around the towns were grass grew and the roots of the plant made the ground stable, but soon enough the roads and the land around them were hardly distinguishable. Either not many chose to travel here to keep the foliage trampled, or any upkeep on the paths was considered too much work with hardly any pay. Very likely, it was a combination of both. Travel was stagnate here just as the air seemed to be. It was so much shorter a route through the districts than around, so Ganju lead his group on the overgrown and unkempt roads now.

At first, he was surprised at the screaming of a woman who went completely ignored by all the citizens. He kept riding, though. More lives were being lost, he assumed, as the sun sunk deeper into the sky, otherwise his sister wouldn't have seemed so upset. He ignored the screaming and road on, telling himself that it had to be for the greater good.

Corpses were as common and liberally tossed as garbage in the alleyways, he noticed, if not even more so. Cruelty and bloodshed weren't anymore out-of-place than a pipe in his sister's mouth or water to pour from a faucet. Taichi was the first to comment, though Ganju was sure he was the first to notice how sick this place was. The stench of rotting bodies wasn't something Ganju had been exposed to more than a few times, and those instances had never had such a potent odor as through the streets of the lower districts. His head became light, and everyone complained over the overwhelming and sickening smell. If it weren't for the fact that he was expected to be the strongest and most experienced of all of his friends then he'd have Bonnie stop so he could vomit, his stomach was churning so unpleasantly.

The cruelties that were visible weren't so overt as the ones he'd seen on his second trip to quiet riots in the lowest districts, but they were abundant and disgusting never the less. Knife fights were more common here than children playing had been in the single digit districts.

Ganju felt himself get dizzy, but would sooner open his own veins than show weakness, and knew Bonnie wouldn't be confident if her master for a single moment seemed insecure. He was doing quite well at ignoring the sounds of rape and murder, which hung in the air as if a scratched record was left on the phonograph, playing the noises without end or pause. Still, he pushed everyone on.

It couldn't get worse. The next broken face he saw, he repeated the thought. Then another looking more abused then the last. Now it can't get any worse. How did it keep getting worse? These people weren't the same as him, but they were human spirits, they were made of the same flesh. How could they even be capable...?

He saw more than his fair share of dead children, all of which were disturbingly twisted and broken as if they were bodies were collections of fagots ready to be used to feed a fire, and so much blood he wondered if there was any need for paint in places like these when they sprayed the walls so liberally with bodily fluid. All of the sights they'd passed seemed to have broken his crew before they began to work, none willing to admit something that would show their weakness in front of someone they admired as much as their boss. They ran the boars without stopping until they got to the eightieth district (however, Ganju doubted Bonnie would've stopped in the carnage before the journey was over anyway, there was no way she could rest when the air was heavy with decay and misgivings). A large group of maybe two hundred civilians were all trying to fight against Soul Reapers, which had them outmatched with ease though not outnumbered. This was the first time he'd ever seen anyone from the eleventh division.

A bald man, whom he was later able to name as Ikkaku, treated his work as bothersome chores. Ganju was amazed how none of them seemed in the least remorseful, rushing about with their swords sheathed, giving quick knock-out blows though with some of the strength put behind them, they could have been fatal.

Most of them looked ridiculous at first glance, and very different in appearances from each other, but all of them similar in their blood lust. He knew what the Captain of the eleventh division looked like from hushed whispers in which he was called the demon of Sereitei, and he wasn't present. It was plain enough to tell be seeing that the one with the highest spiritual pressure seemed to be the bald man with a frown as he gave swift blows to the aggressors.

Two fighters drew Ganju's attention besides the bald man, though. One was dancing elegantly through the crowd as if fighting was no different then putting on a show, and another peculiar person with pink hair, jumping on top of heads and smash them down as she moved from one to another. Watching the two showy fighters put Ganju in the mind of being at a dance theater.

"What should we do?" Kenji asked, looking at the situation being handled so efficiently, although slightly crude.

"Sis sent us down to handle this, so let's handle it," Ganju replied as if he were stating that rain fell from clouds. It was as simple as breathing to him, as to what they should do. "We can't let a bunch of idiot Soul Reapers handle this anyways."

With his words, the band of five ran into the mist of the rebellion, though sticking closely together. They were somewhat strong compared to average citizens, and Ganju could hold his own against weak Soul Reapers, but the crowd was full of people who lived to kill. The only chances Ganju and his gang had to get to a decent place where they could have a good look at everything was to be mistaken for fellow rebels. They weren't so bulky as to blend in perfectly, at least no one besides Ganju and Sadatmoto (though they were a little less than the majority muscle wise) was, but it was plain they weren't Soul Reapers.

Leading everyone to the center of town, on top a house, they all saw plainly that the town was in an uproar. At least five hundred rebels, now that he saw with a bird's-eye view, were still conscious and able to fight. He turned to Sadatmoto and Kenji, who were polar opposites but got along famously despite that. "I need you two to get to town square and cause some noise, be careful of the bald guy. He's strong and won't think we're on our own side." Ganju addressed the rest of his group. "You guys are coming with me. We'll take out the rebels while they're too distracted with Sadatmoto and Kenji, plus the Soul Reapers."

"They aren't going to stop just cause of that," Taichi pointed out.

"They can be carted off to prison easier if they're unconscious," Ganju said with a smile, and jumped off the roof of the shack. The rest of his group followed the orders they were given, soon being nearly as productive as the Soul Reapers in culling the population, though a little more vulnerable to attacks.

Before long they noticed several people who weren't as wild-looking as the fighters seemed to be pulling the injured off the front lines. One woman in particular with a strange braid in the front seemed unafraid of being harmed, taking out several rebels each time she ventured into the line of fire as well as picking up those left on the ground by the anxious eleventh divisioners.

He figured they were the "Punishment Force" he's heard about from his sister, who will often take people to prisons. It wasn't until much later he even heard that there was a division solely for healing purposes in Sereitei. He'd never really paid much attention when he was lectured about Soul Reapers due to his hatred for them, but now he wished he had listened. Curiosity was an understatement to how he felt after a few times of seeing the graceful woman gather injured Soul Reapers and rebels alike with strength that shouldn't be possible for someone so seemingly small. Her spiritual pressure, though he wasn't an expert at sensing things of that nature, seemed to be higher than any he'd ever been exposed to.

Her uniform was different as well. It was oversized and she wore a long white haori over it, with a zanpakuto that she hadn't so much as touched strapped to her back. She gazed at him at maybe her fourth trip into his range of vision, and appeared in front of him too quickly for comfort with a flash step. Sadatmoto tried to run in between his boss and the freakishly powerful woman, but there wasn't really enough time for him to get over from where he was standing to Ganju in time to do anything, so instead he stood dumbstruck and waiting to see how the encounter would play out.

"Are you a friend?" She asked without particular infliction.

"I ain't a friend of any Soul Reaper," - That was what Ganju had wanted to say, but instead he stared dumbly at the woman.

"Do you wish to quiet the rebellion?" She changed the phrase calmly.

This time, Ganju nodded.

"Your friends as well?"

"Y-yeah," he managed to choke out. The spiritual pressure being exerted by this woman seemed to be suffocating him, increasing the gravity and making him sicker than the gruesome scenery on his way ever could have.

"Very well. Keep up the good work, and try not to be killed," she said softly and turned to carry another large group of rebels to her tents to heal.

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Kay, Ikkaku was supposed to be in this one more, but he'll have dialogue next chapter! Promise! The reason Retsu doesn't like him, too!

Oh, and because I know most of my audience is teenagers or young adults on this site, when I use fagot, I'm using the meaning of a bundle of sticks tied together, often for kindling. Of course, it can mean a bundle of fry-able meat, to work tirelessly, it's a derogatory term for women(faggot is anyways), a term for homosexual men, and also it can be a bundle of anything. But seriously, I've said it on my profile and I think in the author's note of some of my stories, I'm gay. I will not use terms to demean other gay people.


	25. Chapter 25

Ganju followed the woman, who put on an air of strange kindness as if it were a perfume that identified her, defying her suffocating strength. Maybe he could help her? He despised Soul Reapers for what they had done to his brother, but she seemed so kind and calm he didn't think he would mind working with her, if only to get home sooner. She moved swiftly, gathering bodies of the unconscious and leaving some be, presumably corpses, and glancing occasionally at larger bodies as if she were mapping their location in her mind to come back to later.

Her once pristine haori was getting blood, gore, and filth on it, though she didn't care to remove it any more than she wanted to take her zanpakuto off, whether it was a useless hindrance or not. She walked into a wooden shack that was much larger than most of the structures surrounding it, shoddily built with hardly enough effort put into the construction to make it stable to the point where it wouldn't be in danger of falling on the occupants heads. Keeping wind and rain out wasn't this place's purpose, or at least not an accomplishment that it could boast, though it appeared to be of some importance. A carving into the log walls indicated it was, before commandeering, a city hall of sorts.

The idea of a city hall for somewhere so chaotic as this was laughable in and of itself. This place didn't seem to be able to reconcile with simple meetings and poundings of gavels, shown clearly by the fiasco outside. They were all too violent to even understand the idea of law-keeping and legislation, let alone the ridiculous notion of solving problems with democracy and logic instead of bloodshed and fists. Ganju didn't pay attention to the irony of a building like that to be in such a careless place and followed the serene woman still.

Ganju kept after the braided woman, picking up bodies that she glanced at but didn't seem able to carry without causing the people that she already had some harm. He followed her inside, thankful for the wide doors that allowed him to enter without harming the injured bodies he carried. He followed the woman, who went into a large room, once probably a place that held meetings, though now a make-shift infirmary.

There were many rooms, and through crudely carved windows he saw large, light blue and off white tents. Each available place, spare hallways so travel could be allowed, seemed filled to the point where moving to treat the injured was nearly impossible in places. Nurses ran frantically back and forth, passing Ganju without a second glance and demanding different medicines that he'd never heard of. He paid them no more attention then they paid him, following Retsu as if he were in a trance.

His jaw nearly dropped when he saw all the people she had brought on cots already, and she was pinned against the wall by the bald fighter.

She moaned out lightly his name. No nurses were in this room, and Ganju's presence was completely ignored or unnoticed. He seemed paralyzed for a moment, though he wasn't sure why. He wasn't a voyeur or pervert, if he'd seen something like this before in his life then he'd ignore it rather than have his eyes glued. This time was, for some reason different. Maybe because he couldn't believe either of these two who were supposed to be saving lives would be doing something so self-indulgent at a time like this. Holding the fainted rebels in his arms, Ganju didn't move a muscle, not caring one bit to drop them or leave the room.

The bald man's hand trailed down the woman's side. Ganju saw she was much smaller than her baggy clothes would allow one to think, and when he got to her side he began to expertly pull apart the rope that held the hakama as if he'd done this a thousand times. She moaned his name louder this time, Ganju heard it. "Ikkaku."

His ferocity in combat was something to behold, but his gentleness with the smaller woman was almost endearing. Neither noticed the presence of another still, too engrossed in each other to even care should they see him. His large and calloused hands opened her jacket, revealing she wore no shirt beneath it. Normally, she would have, but it seemed she was expecting this type of treatment. Ikkaku's hands wondered to her thighs where he massaged slowly. His mouth occupied itself on one of Retsu's breasts as he continued the gentle movements of his hands over pale skin.

The two were so opposite each other it was hard to believe they could be in the company of the other willingly. Ikkaku was tanned unevenly, probably from long hours working outside, while the woman submitting to him was creamy pale. The man's features were sharp and exaggerated, giving him a menacing demeanor, while the girl's were soft and kind as if to speak of her calm, forgiving nature. Retsu's body, though not exceptionally small, wasn't muscular by anyone's standards and the one preparing to claim her seemed as though he belonged with the over bulked rebels, leading them rather than fighting against them.

"Retsu," Ikkaku said, the name pouring like honey from his lips. It was rare for him to call her by her first name, the commander of the fourth division wasn't expected to be addressed simply by anyone. Especially not a seated member of a rival of her division. She enjoyed the lack of formality in this one aspect of her life, though. It made everything seem more sincere when the object of respect to the point that it's a pain rather than a pleasure is left out of the mix all together. "Retsu, can I?" His hands moved towards the the inside of her thighs, though keeping a distance as if he knew a punishment would come if he did as he pleased too recklessly.

"M hm," she hummed and let her legs slide apart just enough for Ikkaku's hand to go to work, and her eyes slid closed.

Though Ganju couldn't see Ikkaku's face, he could almost feel the grin that permission put on his face.

He finally got strength back into his legs enough to leave, with the shock being gone, but was too interested in the sight of the two eloping to even think about running now. He held the injured in his arms and stared wide-eyed at the show before him, listening to each and every moan dripping like honey from the lips of the secret lovers.

-Ahaha... No, none of that is part of the story. I just had to. You're not sleeping tonight with those images either, I take it? Oh, that was so fun. I really enjoyed that. Not writing the weirdness, that's scarred me forever, but I'm picturing all of you going "WTF? What is she (the author) thinking? She already said that Ikkaku was gay, and why is Ganju being a creeper, and what the hell is going on here? Retsu would never ever for ever never be with Ikkaku anyways. You are the worst story-teller ever. First you write a story that's kind of funny and then BAM! Cannibalism, gore, blood and lack of Ikkaku, then Ikkaku having sexy smex with Retsu? I do not understand!" Ah... So much fun. I hope that's everyone's reaction, I sincerely do. (You should review and tell me if you fell for it or not. I don't like asking for reviews but some of them will be priceless.)

Though, thanks still to both Safuuru and Nightkill (every time I type your pen name, I swear a new question/musing pops up into my mind...). You two are very nice to have.

But my stories only begin after the series of colons. Onto what actually happens now (and I am sorry, really, but I couldn't help myself, I just couldn't once the idea struck me. No, the reason Retsu isn't fond of Ikkaku is different, at least for this story!);

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Ganju was able to breathe easily once the abnormally potent spiritual energy of Retsu left, along with the injured. His group, though concerned with his health, knew there was a job to do and Ganju wouldn't put off their work even if he was dying. They continued on, being disregarded by any Soul Reaper that came along the way. Perhaps it was obvious that they weren't rebels, as they were taking the agitators out even more efficiently than any lower seated officer or grunt could ever be expected to. Whether or not Ganju would like to think himself an ally of Seireitei, it didn't matter. He and his group were viewed as being an extra set of hands, which were obviously in demand to get a grasp on the situation.

The light of day completely faded, the antics of the rebels not going with it. Ganju was unable to tell how many were left, starlight being a poor indicator of the agitator's forces when he tried to take a look from atop a building. Maybe he could see from ground level a good distance ahead of him, but from the high ground everything seemed to blend together in a mess of shadows,

His gang was too tired to continue, but he knew he had to keep it up until the area was cleared of rioters. He didn't have the luxury of resting when he knew that hundreds could be dying while he laid his head down for a nap. As long as his resolve kept, he knew everyone else would do their absolute best whether they stayed up for a few days or a few weeks.

Without warning, Ganju felt a huge burst of spiritual pressure near the center of town where all the Soul Reapers seemed focused on the most. It reminded him of the bald fighter, and he was waging an internal war on whether to go and take a look or move his friends who couldn't even sense spiritual pressure away before it was too late for them. Before he got to choose one way or the other, he was almost brought to his knees with another incredible pressure coming quickly.

"Everyone, com'on!" Ganju shouted to his crew. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew damn well that this wasn't the time to be standing and thinking of watching the show while his loyal gang's lives were in plain danger. The urgency in their bosses voice, despite having some questions, made the group follow without a word of protest. They could ask questions once they moved to wherever Ganju led them.

The insane spiritual pressure that had been going to Ganju and his friend's previous location was identified as the woman in the oversized uniform. She still seemed to be heading for him, but he wasn't sure if it were coincidence now. They've already made their peace, after all. Either way, he felt he should move everyone outside the town before the bald man's spiritual pressure popped its cap. Something was definitely going on and it wasn't going to be pleasant for anyone involved if the fighter's expression of insanity and blood lust were anything reflective of his personality.

Ganju froze when he felt the spiritual pressure of the woman come considerably closer, and saw her in front of him. She spoke just as calmly as before. "I know you must be tired," her eyes were closed peacefully and Ganju didn't even register she was speaking to him at first. "I do require some assistance, though. I'd like you to do a favor for me, if you're capable of carrying the injured."

She turned and pointed down the road. "Every body that is unconscious and in need of care, take down this street. There's a town square, though small, which we have taken to use as a base for our tents. A network of them spread across the district. I'm going to continue doing what I must." And with that she left, either sure that Ganju would help her without needing to hear an affirmation or not caring one way or the other and just trying to get help to speed things along, not out of necessity.

"Boss, let's go. We're not gonna help a bunch a snotty Soul Reapers-"

"Didn't you hear her?" Ganju asked. He was macho, but he had a heart. "The injured are going to be taken care of. There's plenty of kids on the street that ain't got nothin' to do with this," he said lowly. Should he stay and help or run from the frightening spiritual pressure in the center of town? There was no question in his mind. Ganju Shiba was a lot of things, but coward was not on the list. "Any a ya that don't think we should get these guys – all of 'em ta some doctors ain't the guys that I've been leadin' all these years. Least I haven't been doin' a good job at it."

"Boss-" Kenji started, interrupted by what Ganju had predicted. A large burst of spiritual energy that must have been capable of obliterating half the district coming from the center of town, luckily being directed opposite the area Ganju was in.

"We've got to get everyone help..." Ganju said solemnly. It wouldn't matter if he was staring down the end of a sword, had a knife to his throat, or an arrow pointed at his head, he would never become a coward. Putting his life before innocent victims of a rebellion they had wanted nothing to do with? The hell if that would ever be something identifying him.

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By the next day, Ganju's group had gotten all of the injured to medical tents, along with the help of other Soul Reapers. He didn't share another word with the mysteriously (almost eerily) calm woman, though he heard her talk once to the bald fighter about his antics.

"Ikkaku, you killed at least two hundred. You didn't simply kill them, but when you released that shock wave, you obliterated them."

A shock wave? That power was something so simple? Ganju hardly believed it.

"Well-"

He tried to argue. What was he going to say? I really wanted to kill them? I got carried away? Ganju knew it wasn't polite to eavesdrop, but they were arguing in an alleyway where he was collecting injured bodies and it was hard to walk away.

"I do not want to hear a pity argument. Third Seat, Ikkaku Madarame, you will be reported for this reckless behavior. This is not something that will be overlooked by your superiors, either."

"I-"

"There is nothing else to say here," she spat. Though she was not raising her voice, it was clear to hear her anger. Ganju felt angry for a moment as well, not even at the subject of the tirade. It was as if her emotion of calmness could affect someone when she spoke, and now her passion of anger was infectious. He continued with his work before being noticed and cut by Ikkaku, who seemed plenty capable of dispatching anyone as it pleased him.

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I hate trying to do dialogue, at least with informal speech. If I make everything realistic, keeping all traits of speech then it becomes difficult to read and you have to go over it two or three times just to understand what the damn person is saying (like Ebonics or something) (and if you're anything like me when this happens, you just go "Oh the hell with it! I don't even care what they're fucking saying!"), but adversely, if I don't put any inflictions or quirks in dialogue, Retsu seems to be talking just like Ganju and the hell if I'm letting that happen. It's hard enough thinking of realistic words for each of them to use, but damn if I don't make all of them sound like robots...

Ick.

Ick.

Icky.

Gr.

Die, robots!

*You may all think I'm mildly intelligent for all the jargon I use in this story (or pretentious, either way), but it appears I am very much of an idiot, or at least technology inept. The bonus chapter that I edited as a document uploaded on fanfiction did not stay edited. The first three paragraphs were as they had been once edited and the rest wasn't edited at all so... It's fixed now if you want to go look at it.


	26. Chapter 26

Good. Back to the present.

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Hanataro listened to the story, though he hardly believed it. "Ikkaku..."

"Real jerk, innit he?"

"Don't say that about him," Hanataro replied lowly. "He..."

"Why're you defending Ikkaku? Far as I've heard he's a heartless bastard – just like his Captain."

"Don't say that about Ikkaku!" Hanataro repeated, with more force this time. "He's not like that, and if he did do those things then I'm sure it was for a reason – he isn't the type of cold-hearted person that would blow away a town for no reason!"

Ganju's jaw almost dropped to the ground. He'd not spent a whole lot of time with Hanataro since Ichigo left, despite a few interspersed occasions, but he liked to think that they were friends. Apparently he didn't even know the medic, because he never thought in a million years he would argue a point as fiercely as he had just done, and for someone of the eleventh division no less. "Hanataro, I-"

The smaller man pulled his knees to his chin and folded his arms over them. It was plain to see that he was upset, but Ganju didn't have a clue as to why, though he got the message that he shouldn't push the point on him anymore. Finding the reason for Hanataro's behavior didn't matter as much as keeping everyone together for the time being. An uncomfortable silence formed between them for a few minutes until Hanataro spoke again. "So, they don't trust Soul Reapers because of what happened. That's fine. My job isn't to stop this, it's just to make sure as many live through it as possible. I don't know what to do... I've never had to make a decision for battle, I've never even been relied on to fight, but I'll do what I know how to do."

"Hana..."

A few tears fell down Hanataro's face. He did handle quite well under pressure, and he was able to stand amongst carnage with positive intentions without a single second's hesitation. But he couldn't handle things that are so delicate if emotions are brought into the mix for a single moment. Once Ikkaku was mentioned, his blissful state of detachment was shattered, bringing everything (the death, the children, the carnage) crashing down. What was a medic with no combat experience going to do?

He wasn't crying for Ikkaku, though the story Ganju told him alone was enough to make him upset. Instead he was crying for everything he'd seen so far. It was a requirement in the fourth division to detach yourself from emotions when working, and Hanataro was failing miserably. Emotional detachment was easy enough when you're given time and practice, but that was only for as long as he could manage to block out the rest of the world. It was innocent, for the most part, how Ganju mentioned Ikkaku, but it caused a death-blow to his resolution.

"Ganju..." Hanataro sniffed, trying to plug up the waterworks before they got too out of control.

"Yeah?"

"If we have to end this, then let's hurry up and get it over with."

"What do you mean?" Ganju was confused now. Most people were erratic in their statements when they were upset, but Hanataro had just admitted he had no way to stop this.

"There has to be a way to take the reason to fight. They're doing all this for attention," Hanataro stood up. "I'm not a general. I shouldn't be in this fight, but I'm the highest seated officer here. I'll take care of this."

Immediately, Ganju stood. "Hana, you can't just-"

"Stay here, please," he said softly, looking to Ganju's exhausted friends. "They can't fight properly and need someone to make sure they'll be all right."

"Hana-"

"Just... Don't follow me," Hanataro insisted. "I don't do things like this very much. But if Ikkaku made these guys dislike us, then I'll just make sure history doesn't repeat itself. I can't make them forgive us, really, but I can at least give them a reason to think about it, though I still don't believe that Ikkaku did what you said for no reason."

Hanataro smiled a bit, though it was plainly forced, and turned to go inside the district while the fighting raged on, undeterred by time or fatigue. If it weren't for him being so stunned by Hanataro's completely out of character speech then he'd chase after the medic, but he was still processing what had just happened in his exhausted mind.

Once in the district, Hanataro was careful to avoid any fighting. The people here, though having little to no spiritual pressure, were plainly dangerous to someone as frail as he was. Tip-toeing through alleyways was his best bet to get to the center of town quickly.

There was no chance of him rallying all the Soul Reapers and having them follow his orders consistently through the battle; he was just not very charismatic and didn't scream experienced either. Not that it would even matter particularly if he could have everyone listen to his every order, because he wouldn't know what to do with the staggering amount of grunts sent to dispatch the rebels. All that his plan required, however, was for the majority of the forces here would listen to his second (and he hoped, final) order

The largest concentration of rebel activity was naturally in the center of town, seeing as there was the biggest area clear of buildings that allowed easy fighting. Hanataro managed to sneak about without catching the attention of a single rebel, either because they were too involved in the brutish task of ridding their home of loud Soul Reapers who were seeking to make their presence known, or because his subdued behavior didn't make him an appealing target to the rambunctious dissenters. He appreciated the easy journey and hoped that he would be able to be heard over the cacophony accompanied with war.

"Everyone!" He shouted as loudly as he could from atop a shoddily built house that he'd climbed up, though when he did it felt as if the structure would give out under him. He didn't let fear show in his voice, telling himself he'd jump off if the platform he'd chosen should it collapse. "Fall back, to southeast quadrant!"

The Soul Reapers looked up at the one giving them orders, as if to question whether he was serious or not. He was the highest seated officer, but he was in the fourth division. What did he know about fighting, honestly? He didn't lose any of his resolve though. "Everyone, go to the southeast quadrant, immediately!"

The orders to go to the area of the district where almost no rebels were present seemed suspicious, but were followed none the less. If the man had a plan, it had better be a good one, because he'd never be let to live down a mistake happening during one of the biggest riots to ever occur. However, they all knew that if the orders weren't carried out then they'd be severely disciplined for disobeying a superior in times of war. They all left, some reluctantly, some hurriedly. Hanataro hopped down from the platform, wanting to pull his zanpakuto out for some amount of protection but resisting the urge in order to appear defenseless. "Please, everyone, listen!" He began speaking to the rebels. "I understand that you don't trust Soul Reapers, but we came because you wanted us to come. You wouldn't cause such a commotion if that wasn't what you wanted!"

The crowd roared angrily, feeling insulted that Hanataro would try to be empathetic when they doubted he even scratched the surface of the actual problem. Curses and threats were thrown out as if it was their natural way to exhale. Hanataro tried to keep his cool. "I don't want to see any of you hurt, I've been healing the injured whether they've been fighting or not! I need all of you to stop this fighting and tell us what you want!"

Curses and screaming still went on. They didn't want to reconcile, they wanted to fight. They wanted nothing more than to leave the world loudly, having everyone know their presence who had been oblivious before. It was as if they'd already decided upon leaving and had no interest in being persuaded into anything else but going and leaving a crater upon where they had been.

A strong spiritual pressure was entering the district that Hanataro remembered as being Captain Kurotsuchi. Just what he needed, a bloodthirsty man who was here to dissect whatever was left over from the rebellion. He was trying to help these people, he truly was, so why did karma decide to be so cruel to him? To test his resolve?

"Don't waste your breath, boy," Mayuri sighed, appearing behind Hanataro. He seemed bored, like he didn't want to come here and it was merely a chore that he wanted to end as quickly as possible. "They can't hear you."

"What are you talking about, they answered!" Hanataro responded automatically, though near the end of his statement his voice nearly gave out. Mayuri's demeanor didn't invite conversation, or arguments.

"This is such an annoying development. I was sure that useless specimen was disposed of years ago, it never ever listened to a word," Mayuri seemed to be talking to himself more than anything, uninterested in the seventh seat. He took out a strange-looking device that was basically a metal square with a sleek red button in the middle, as well as a joy stick and an antenna that he extended. It beeped loudly as he pointed it different ways. "Such a useless thing," he sighed again and pressed the button. For a moment everything seemed to quiet completely. The air itself froze and then everything around Hanataro went black, replaced in a few seconds by seeing a hollow-like creature screaming in pain. It was surrounded completely by rotting bodies and torn down buildings. "Never will I hear the end of this from the other captains," Mayuri was still going on about his boredom and annoyance, though it was clear he wasn't looking for any kind of response.

The hollow continued to scream out in pain, writhing and contorting in ways that made it seem to be shrinking one moment and inflating the next. Hanataro stared at the scene of destruction before him for a moment with his jaw agape. Mayuri remained silent while fidgeting with the remote for a moment before he threw it down, cursing Nemu for doing a poor job and silencing through the hollow with his unreleased zanpakuto. As if he were adding the most non-consequential thing in the world, he turned to Hanataro with his piercing yellow eyes and said; "You did quite well. Had this been something of a little more importance, maybe you could've saved some lives. Normally Captain Unohana's lackeys are useless. Maybe you should transfer to my division where you can get a little more meaningful work done than this." He sheathed his blade and looked up at the sky as you would when you're thinking of some detail. He shrugged once he didn't seem to recall it and watched the hollow he'd just killed dissipate into the air.

"C-captain Kurotsuchi... What was that?"

"Just an experiment. I asked that useless Captain of the eleventh division to get rid of this mess but I guess I shouldn't send morons to get important things done. In any case, the only thing that the battle did last time was injure it. And I can't even study it to see where I went wrong. Not to mention I'm going to be on probation for this whole fiasco. I don't see why it matters, mistakes happen in science and that's the only way to move forward. Oh well," he shrugged his shoulders. "Suffering for what I love is just a part of life, yes?"

"That was an experiment?"

"Yes. You're Captain's in quite a tizzy over you, by the way. You should report to her soon," Mayuri replied, still talking as if none of this mattered, being of no more consequence than if the subject were the weather as he took at a monitor to read something in the air. "She asked me to make sure you lived, so go on before my other creations come along. There are quite a few I have to clear before I can return."

"There's more of those?"

"Yes, an experiment I did awhile back to replicate Aizen's 'perfect illusion' ability. It worked great, as you can see-" his meter interrupted him. "I'll be going now."

And with that he was gone.

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What? I'm a cheap bastard?

Oh well. I like it. And it's not changing.

It's not like Hanataro could have realistically changed everything.

Nor could Ganju, or his crew, or even if Ikkaku came out of no where.

Sorry to disappoint anyone, but my stories do not capitalize on idealism and the won't if I ever have anything to say about it (though, rarely do I get to have a say in the development of these things to tell the truth).

For those who enjoy the harsh realism in these tales, continue on to read my take on how this crack relationship will blossom, possibly into something meaningful.

Until then, goodbye my pretties.


	27. Chapter 27

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"You mean that whole thing, none of it was real?" Kenji asked in disbelief as Hanataro returned and told his story. The medic shook his head.

"I don't know why everything lasted so long, but I'm supposed to go home immediately. My Captain wants to see me – I doubt she's very happy though."

Ganju frowned. "You have to rush off, then?"

"I'd like to sleep, but she's not the patient type when it comes to things that are very important."

"You just stood up to a mob of people who you thought could kill you at a moment's notice, but you're too concerned about your Captain being mad at you that you won't sleep for a few hours?"

"I can't-"

"I'll take you on Bonnie, but let's sleep first," Ganju insisted. "You'd get there faster than expected, even if you get some sleep in before you start to move."

"It's fine, I have some medicine that'll help me stay awake," Hanataro insisted. "I should leave, I just wanted you all to know what happened."

"Everyone," Ganju started speaking to his gang. "Stay here and do what you can to help, I'm gonna take Hana back. Go back to sis as soon as you finish here."

"Ganju, you need to sleep, I-" Hanataro tried to argue, but it wasn't happening. The foul tempered boar, Bonnie, had been allowed to sleep with the rest of the team's mounts, and she was ready to travel as far as she was needed. Ganju picked Hanataro up, ignoring all of his protests and getting on Bonnie. She began to run with a quick start that nearly knocked Hanataro off in the same way she had the first time he rode her. "Ganju, this is ridiculous! You should be sleeping-"

"I wanted to talk ta ya anyways, Hana," he replied seriously.

"What about?"

"Ikkaku. You might be nice, but since when did you defend jerks from the eleventh division? I mean, they'd kill you at a moment's notice if they thought they'd be able to without consequence."

"I... Well, I'm..."

Ganju was almost relieved to have Hanataro back to his nervous, stuttering self, although now he wanted to wring the answer out of him. "Hana, tell me. Seriously."

"He's not as bad as you think, all right?" Hanataro answered lowly.

"Why do ya say that?"

"Because... He's..." Hanataro didn't want to tell Ganju the whole story, so he stalled until, maybe, he'd lose interested. While he looked down nervously, he saw that all the rebels that he'd faced earlier were littered like trash along the roadside, being dead for years though retaining enough of their clothing to be identified. The hollow Mayuri created had done a lot of damage here.

"Hana, you'd never defend someone as violent as he is. Sure, he didn't really kill all those people like I told you, but he thought he did. How could he have known that it was an illusion?"

"Because Captain Kurotsuchi told his Captain," Hanataro replied. "Ikkaku and I are... We're... Together."

Even Bonnie seemed to jump a bit for being so surprised. Ganju felt like he'd just had everything he knew about the universe come into question. "What? What do you mean? Like, I mean... Together, together?"

"Mmhm..." Hanataro answered, kind of unsure of himself. He wasn't certain that it was even right to be telling Ganju this, especially seeing as his mind should be focusing on the carnage around them in order to sort of pay respects, but at the same time if they focused on all the cruelties around them, the rotting flesh and the disgusting display of inhumanity, then they'd become sick. There are many ways in reality to handle tragedy, and for those who can't stand sudden shock, not focusing on it completely was one of the best things to do. The stench of rot and the macabre scene before them could not be ignored or pushed out of mind, at least not while they stood in the midst of it, but they could try to distract themselves.

"Sorry," Ganju said after a small silence.

"About what?"

"Saying that about him. I don't know him. First time I met a lot of my friends I would've called them violent assholes, but really I'm just as short-tempered as him without the strength he has to act out on all the impulses."

"Don't apologize," Hanataro replied, surprising himself by saying that. Maybe Ikkaku was starting to rub off on him as Retsu had feared. "I mean, you don't have to worry about that. Really, I didn't think you'd change your mind just like that."

"You wouldn't be with a total jerk," Ganju replied. "I don't even know him, like I said."

"Well, I haven't been with him that long. I don't know if it'll last either," Hanataro said the last bit softly. He didn't want to be the type of person who was a complete open book, never hesitating to say whatever his problems may be just to share them and end up bothering those around him. It was too hard not to talk about his worries while he was going to face his Captain, after surely having her worried sick about his well-being and angry over his hasty departure. He was certain that she'd drive a wedge between himself and Ikkaku if he didn't somehow strengthen his resolve before he reached Seireitei.

"Why's that?"

"Because both of our Captains are mad."

"At?"

"Us..."

"Why should they care?"

"Well..." Hanataro didn't have an answer, at least not one that would satisfy anyone interested in logic.

"They can't tell you what ta do in your life away from work, can they?"

"If my Captain wants to do something, she normally does it, and Ikkaku said his Captain was the same way."

"Well, tell 'em you're gonna do what ya wanna do."

"Ganju..."

"You'll be fine. Just, for once, think about what ya wanna do for yourself and not what ya wanna do to make everyone else happy."

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	28. Chapter 28

It's weird to go back to non-gory things. Be patient with me because I feel like a little kid who was denied a toy. I have to write normally again. Gr.

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Do they ever get along? Yumichika wondered as he saw his Lieutenant jump playfully from building to building, a very angry Ikkaku trying desperately to catch her. Kenpachi was sitting next to his fifth seat, having it in his mind to lecture Ikkaku again, but instead getting caught up in enjoying the show. He should be angry that, with all the esteem Ikkaku had generated, he can't put a cap on his temper nor even catch a girl less than half his size, but instead was actually having a bit too much fun watching Yachiru avoid Ikkaku's every attempt to get a hold on her.

They eventually continued their chase out of the view of their friends, who had no interest in going after the two while they were so riled up; it was just too early to run like that.

"Baldy, baldy! You can't get me!" Yachiru said, giggling as she jumped outside Ikkaku's range just as he thought he had her. She smiled and stood facing Ikkaku on the opposite edge of the building they were standing on. "You're too slow!"

Ikkaku breathed hard and glared at the small girl. He had had enough of the brat but wasn't going to leave after such a long chase; it didn't matter if he was sweating buckets and panting like a dog. He had decided that he wasn't going to lose and that was all that needed to be said. "Shut up."

"Why're you so mad today?"

"Shut up and hold still!" he shouted and ran toward her again.

She jumped towards him, landing on his head and then pushing him away. She landed back onto the rooftop as he nearly fell off, due to his rush to catch the small girl. It wasn't a tall building, but he still made an effort to catch himself and turn back to Yachiru, face red from rage. "Listen, you little-"

"You've been mad for the past three days and no fun! How come?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I never want to play your stupid games!"

"Is it cause Kenny's mad at ya?" She tilted her head. She hadn't quite figured out the reason yet, at least not for sure, but she had a feeling it was largely because of his new boyfriend. "He won't be mad forever."

"Shut up, I'm tired of talkin' to ya!"

"How about I tell Kenny not to be mad?" Yachiru asked and smiled. "Or maybe I can have Sanee talk to her Captain and then have Kenny and Rere make up!"

"Stop acting like this can all be solved just like that! It's not that simple!"

"How come?"

"Because! Dammit, you're so annoying!" Ikkaku shouted. If he had any hair, this girl would have made him pull it out.

"Is Flowers gonna come home soon? I bet you'll be happier then!"

"Flowers? Did you just call Hanataro Flowers?"

She nodded.

"I give up!" He sighed. "You're impossible. And you don't even try to understand, I don't need to be annoyed by you, given death glares from Captain Unohana and have my Captain wanna kill me all at once!"

"But it is about Flowers?"

Ikkaku glared at her. He didn't have the patience to deal with someone so incessant, nor the stamina to keep up with her. Although, now he was wondering when Hanataro would come back. It had only been three days, but it felt like forever since he last saw him. He'd have to come back to a bunch of arguing if everything kept up the way it had been, however. Leaving Yachiru in the dust, he went to go find Retsu and hopefully make some kind of amends to her so she'd lay off her seventh seat, if only a little.

There was no simple way to get rid of the pink-haired bundle of energy, though. She ran after him. "Where ya goin' Baldy?"

"Doesn't matter ta you."

"Yeah huh! I wouldn't have asked!"

"Leave me alone, Lieutenant."

Being reminded that she was Ikkaku's superior, she got an idea. "I order you to tell me where you're going!"

"I'm on leave," Ikkaku responded.

"No! You are not! Tell me! Tell me or I'm gonna tell Kenny not to leave you alone!"

"I'm goin' to Captain Unohana," Ikkaku grumbled.

"How come?"

"I need to talk ta her," Ikkaku rolled his eyes. "Why don't you go play with someone else?"

"I wanna play with you!"

Ikkaku got an idea, though it made him a bit sick. He had to bat it around in his head for a minute while he weighed in Hanataro's worth, but eventually decided. "I'll play with you all you want tomorrow if you go smooth over Captain for me."

"Smooth over?"

"You know, have him let it go that me and Hana are together. Can ya do that?"

"If you keep your promise! All day tomorrow!"

"Sure."

"And the rest of the week!"

"But, it's Monday!" Ikkaku whined. Was Hanataro worth almost a week of torture?

"Then no deal," she crossed her arms.

"Three days," Ikkaku tried to bargain.

"Eight!"

"That's longer than you started!"

"Ten!"

"Hold on!"

"Fifteen!"

"Stop!" Ikkaku shouted. "Six days or no deal."

"I win," she smiled, getting what she asked for. She ran to her Captain before Ikkaku could change his mind.

"Little brat..." Ikkaku muttered and went to the fourth division main hospital where Retsu's office was, being in such a foul mood that he was literally scaring most of the nurses into keeping a ten foot distance.

By the time he reached Retsu's office he was practically fuming, but he made himself calm down. Once he left, he could train to his heart's content and get his anger out. For now, he needed to be calm enough to make a half-way decent appeal. He even remembered basic manners to the point where he at least knocked, which he'd previously almost never bothered to do.

Mayuri came to the door, slid it open violently, and gave Ikkaku a glare that almost triggered a heart attack as he left. "She's so imperious! There's nerve, and then there is that woman!" He pushed his way past Ikkaku after his little outburst, angry that someone should stand in his path but unable to attack him.

Retsu sat at her desk calmly, looking up to see Ikkaku standing there, dumbfounded. She frowned. "Third Seat Ikkaku Madarame, state your business please. I'd like it to be brief."

There was a bit of paperwork in the 'in' plate, which he supposed was yet to be completed, and stacks of it lying about the place which seemed to be finished. It was sad when it took longer to deliver files than to do them, but either way, Ikkaku wasn't involved with that. He stepped inside and slid the door closed with extreme caution, seeing as it had just took some abuse. He seriously hoped whatever she was just discussing wouldn't be brought up in this conversation. Call it a bit outlandish if you will, but Ikkaku had a feeling he chose a very bad time to come and talk to Retsu. "Well, I don't know when Hanataro will be back but-"

"He should be returning this afternoon. He's reporting to me first, however. You may go," she said curtly, doing on some paperwork though she seemed a bit agitated.

"That's not it-"

"Then state what you need and leave."

"I know you don't like my division, but could ya go easy on Hanataro? I mean, if you got a problem, just tell me and I'll fix it, all right?"

"I heard you're good with tools. However, feelings aren't like a toy that you can take apart, replace the missing or broken piece and then claim your work is done." Her grip tightened on her calligraphy brush, and Ikkaku could see that the delicate wood was about to snap under pressure. He knew it wasn't really him that had put her in such a foul mood, rather it was Mayuri who seemed to easily have that effect on his self-proclaimed rival should the opportunity arise, but that didn't change that her words were biting.

"I-"

"Why didn't you tell me about Mayuri's experiment? When I reported you, you got into serious trouble for your digression. Why did you let it happen when you could have told me the whole story. You knew what had been done."

"Cause you don't care 'bout that either way," Ikkaku answered, though he wished he would've found a way to be a little more tactful.

"What do you mean I don't care?"

"Ya got your mind made up 'bout us, don't ya?" He normally felt intimidated by this woman, she seemed to just be the type of person you didn't mess with, but he wasn't going to keep his opinions to himself, even if he'd be in trouble for speaking so freely. It wasn't in his nature to keep to himself. "What would you have thought if I tried to justify what I did? There coulda still been some people alive that I killed, couldn't there a been?"

"Well, I suppose, but that's not a reason to-"

"I don't know how it is with your division, but I don't go around trying to make everyone happy. This is the first time I've even tried it and it's not for myself either. Mayuri can tell ya 'bout what he does to screw up but I'm not gonna."

"You're very arrogant, Mr. Madarame," she sighed, loosening the vice grip on her brush. "But I have to say, it's nice to finally hear someone speak honestly from your division. Most of the people there like to make everything sound larger than life and I have to say it's very annoying to hear all the excuses." She looked up at him for the first time since she invited him in. "Thank you for stopping by, I'd like for you to go now."

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	29. Chapter 29

I finally got a punching bag in my room, too, so I'm a happy little person. I'll keep track of the number of times I break my wrist to entertain you all. (I haven't broken a wrist yet on punching bags, but I've broken knuckles plenty of times. My sensei told me I need to be more patient, my friends told me to go see a doctor.)

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"Teacher!" One of the students Hanataro had been training before his deployment greeted him brightly. His stomach was still churning, but he didn't want to be rude when his students had probably missed him so much, so he tried to be attentive. "I learned a lot of good kido when you were gone!"

"That's good," Hanataro smiled, though he knew it came out rather nervous because of his current state. "I have to go see Captain Unohana, so tell me about it later."

"It's not a good time to see Captain," the student frowned.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, Captain Kurotsuchi was just there and that bald guy from the eleventh division that we trained with-"

"Ikkaku?"

"Yeah, he was talking to the Captain. I don't think she's very happy right now."

"Why was he here?" Hanataro shook his head. He knew Ikkaku meant well, but the result being positive wasn't likely at all. Walking sluggishly up to his Captain's office, he thought of any possible way to get out of this, and finding none that would work, knocked tentatively on the door. It collapsed and he almost had a heart attack.

"Hanataro-" Retsu looked up from her paperwork.

"C-captain Unohana, I'm so sorry!" He bowed deeply. "I barely touched it and it fell, I didn't mean for it to-"

"It's fine Hanataro, just set it back up. Captain Kurotsuchi broke it, Ikkaku dropped by, and before he left he offered to come back tomorrow to fix it."

"Why did Ikkaku come?"

She smiled a bit, but didn't answer. "I'd like for you to give me a report on your mission."

"R-right," Hanataro stumbled over his words. His Captain's mild temper at a time when she'd just seen two of her least favorite people was welcome, but very surprising. As far as he knew, she had no idea what had happened during the riots, though with Mayuri being here earlier that might be pretty far from the truth. He more than likely bogged her down with all the gruesome details just to entertain himself. Regardless, he stood reciting a very detailed account of everything that happened, taking over a half hour to inform the calm Captain of every detail he could possibly remember.

"Who's Ganju?" She asked at the end of his report, not wanting to interrupt him during.

"Someone who helped Ichigo when he saved Ms. Kuchiki."

"Then he is trustworthy?"

"Yes."

"Then it's fine that he helped. I would like you to tell me, was Captain Kurotsuchi dutiful on his visit?"

"He wasn't focused, he seemed upset."

"Did he get his work done?"

"I-i don't know that for sure," Hanataro replied, looking down nervously.

"That's fine. But I do want to know one last thing."

"Yes?"

"Why did you try to appeal to a mass of rioters? They would not have listened even if they were human, if they were so riled up. You couldn't have honestly thought that a fight so intense with a high body count would be ended with a simple plea?"

"No..." Hanataro admitted lowly.

"Then what did you think that it would do?"

"It would have given them a chance to think about what they were fighting about. Ganju told me they were fighting because they wanted revenge, but I wasn't sure if that was the reason they were all ready to die. I..." He stumbled nervously. There was a very likely chance that his Captain would think he'd thought with his heart instead of his head, and that's never something approved of. He didn't want to finish the story and put her in a bad mood, or open a window for scolding.

"Go on."

"I thought it might be desperation, just wanting to be noticed. Once they saw that we noticed them and thought that we couldn't continue fighting, I thought that they might be happy with what they'd done. I don't know, and I don't think it would've stopped the fighting right away, but if it did something to harm their morale then it would be easier to fight them and reduce the body count as much as possible. I was ready to have the others come back once the crowd was ready to fight again, but if they were all there at the time, my words wouldn't have had the impact they would if they weren't in range to protect me. I knew I could flash step away but I don't think they would have understood that."

There was a moment of silence that felt like an eternity in which Hanataro wished that he could have taken back everything he'd just said so dumbly.

"Very good," she replied, looking over some paperwork while attending to Hanataro as well. "You know, for someone of the fourth division to have Soul Reapers trained for combat obey them is something you could brag about. No one beneath Isane or I could manage that."

"W-well... It wasn't anything really."

"Didn't you want to know why Ikkaku stopped by?"

"Yes, Captain," Hanataro straightened his back.

"He asked for me to take out whatever anger I had on him," she smiled a bit. "I know Captain Zaraki, and I know that Ikkaku's not having an easy time with his Captain because of this whole thing, but he thought about how tired you would be after a hard mission and asked for me to have a little mercy. I didn't know people in the eleventh division could be kind."

Hanataro was a bit surprised at that. Of course he knew Ikkaku was kinder than he let most believe, but for him to do something so thoughtful wasn't exactly normal for him.

"He's surprisingly reasonable," she continued. "Maybe he's not so much the perfect eleventh division member after all, huh?"

"Captain-"

"I'm going to be watching him. He's not off the hook, so to speak, and I don't know how I feel about this altogether, but I'm seeing something positive at least."

"What do you mean?"

"Before Ikkaku ever came along, you would have never had the courage to stand before a mob of rioters and try to appeal to their insanity. You've never even been able to stand before your subordinates with any confidence. I still do not like the eleventh division, I do not like Ikkaku, and I do not approve. But I will not meddle," she smiled softly and looked up from her paperwork. "You may go home to rest for the remainder of the day; I'm sure you're tired."

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Short chapter, but I really like this one. It made me smile and be all happy. And there wasn't even a bit of blood and gore so it was a very fluffy thing.


	30. Chapter 30

It wasn't explicitly stated in the story, but I guess that it's very vague though hinted to, Hanataro was left the 78th district (which was as far as he got, he never went any deeper than that) when it was getting dark, so he spent all night riding back to Seireitei. I maybe should have put that clearer? Oh well.

Fun fact: There is no age limit on stupidity. My crazy conspiracy theorist uncle is proof.

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After staying awake for so long, Hanataro felt exhausted and was glad to take his Captain's invitation to go back to his room and rest. Or, that was what he had hoped to be doing until he opened his door and saw Ikkaku sitting on his floor, working on the wheels of his Lieutenant's zanpakuto. His face lit up when he saw Hanataro walk through the door and dropped his project in favor of standing up and grinning. "How was your mission?"

"Not the greatest," Hanataro replied.

"Your Captain give ya hell?"

"No," Hanataro smiled a bit. "Thank you, by the way."

"Why thank me? She decided all by herself, didn't she?" Ikkaku stopped smiling when he saw the bags upon bags under Hanataro's eyes. "You look like hell..."

"I didn't get to sleep since I left."

"That's three days."

"Yeah, but that happens a lot in the fourth division so you don't need to – Ikkaku!" Hanataro shouted as his boyfriend picked him up bridal style and walked over to the bed, setting him down as if he were made of glass.

"Go on ta sleep. I'll see ya tomorrow," Ikkaku smiled for a bit, but then the expression turned sour as he remembered his promise to Yachiru. "No, not too much tomorrow. I think next Monday I'll be rid of the little parasite."

"What?"

"Yachiru. Damn her," Ikkaku sighed and looked at the zanpakuto he'd been fixing for her in annoyance, as if it were the cause of his frustration.

Hanataro couldn't help but laugh, though it caught Ikkaku a little off guard. "What did she do this time?"

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Ikkaku didn't want to recount how he got trapped in such a deal with the girl, nor did he like portraying himself as being nice in any way, even if Yumichika suggested for him to be sweeter.

"Sorry," Hanataro looked down, thinking he bothered Ikkaku.

"No, no, don't do that! You don't need to say sorry. It's just," Ikkaku glared at the short zanpakuto again. "She's _evil_."

Hanataro laughed so hard that he started to tear up and hold his ribs. Ikkaku's voice and expression were just too perfect. "Ikkaku, what on Earth happened?"

Smiling at the turn of events, with his boyfriend actually wanting him to stay, Ikkaku sat on the bed next to Hanataro's legs and started telling the story, though putting in a few gross exaggerations for a few extra laughs. By the time he'd finished, Hanataro was in such high spirits that he almost forgot all about his mission, which was a real accomplishment. He'd learned how to distance himself from unpleasant things, and was used to seeing carnage, but forgetting about an exceptional case like that, even for a little bit, wasn't particularly easy. Hanataro didn't even feel tired anymore, though he knew he should be sleeping now, so he'd be all right tomorrow to continue training new recruits or go back to his regular jobs.

"Hey, Hana?" Ikkaku asked, wiping away a tear from his own eye, seeing as he'd caused himself to laugh quite a bit as well.

"Yeah?"

"You wanna go out ta eat? Celebrate getting back?"

Hanataro would normally say yes no matter if he had wanted to go or not, so he wouldn't disappoint, but for once he managed to say; "I'm really not in the mood to go out anywhere."

"Sure, maybe after Yachiru is done with me, then?"

Well, that wasn't the response Hanataro was expecting. He always pictured that when he spoke out of turn or denied a request that all hell would break loose. Though he didn't mean to, he couldn't help but look a little surprised.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing. I just never... Well, I never thought saying no was... Well..."

"Easy?"

"I guess that's what I'm looking for."

"Looks like I finally got through ta ya," Ikkaku grinned his goofy (though before, Hanataro would've thought it was scary) grin and leaned forward to give Hanataro a peck on his lips before he turned to leave. "Ya gotta get your sleep, I'll see ya."

"All right," Hanataro smiled.

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"How's it going?"

"Yumichika, why are you always in my room?" Ikkaku asked with a frown.

"Is Hanataro doing well? I mean, as long as he doesn't realize the extent of you assholishness he should be fine."

"I need better friends," Ikkaku sighed, moving Yumichika to the side of his bed as the routine dictated. He might not have minded this if it was just a weekly thing where his room was broken into, but Yumichika took the opportunity whenever he had time, especially if he thought it might be entertaining.

"Come on, I'm a good friend."

"Friends don't break into their friend's rooms."

"Yeah-huh," Yumichika propped himself up on his elbows. "Anything happen between you and Hanataro yet?"

"No, Yumichika," Ikkaku replied, plainly showing his annoyance.

"I guess that's a good thing. You want him to actually like you, so he isn't chased away by how bad you are-"

"Shut up for once!" Ikkaku shouted with a blush.

"I think it's cute that you actually go through the trouble of being decent and giving someone like Hanataro space. He's not the type to jump into bed, anyways, I don't think. He's too innocent. Maybe he won't have any frame of reference when you guys do-"

"Shut the fuck up, Yumichika!"

"Sorry, sorry. But really, you two are kind of cute. You're being nice aren't you?"

"Sure, I guess."

Yumichika rolled his eyes. "Well, just remember what Isane said."

"What's that?"

"You're going to be a cadaver if you break this kid's heart."

"No pressure," Ikkaku joked. "I'm not worried about her, I'm worried about him."

"Why's that?"

"I don't know. He looks like he's just seen a ghost and he hasn't slept for days. I'm going over to the fourth division's buildings to repair some of their stuff, including a door the creepy bastard – Kurotsuchi – broke," Ikkaku answered. "I'll see if he looks any better then. He said he's gonna sleep for the rest of the day."

"How are you going to get out of the promise you made Yachiru?"

"I fixed her damn zanpakuto, so she said she'd give me a few hours to do what I gotta do there," he groaned. "Dammit, what the hell did I get myself into?"

"She did a good job with the Captain. He hasn't even mention you or the fourth division since she spoke to him. She really knows Captain, huh?"

"It's not worth it," he whined.

"I figured you would rather have Captain on you instead of Lieutenant. Why exactly did you take that deal anyways?"

"Cause if Captain's mad then he'll bother Unohana, who'll give Hanataro hell-" Ikkaku started, though he didn't really realize what he was saying until it was out into open air without him being able to retract it.

"You took almost a week of torture for your boyfriend? Who you haven't even gotten any from yet? I think you might be sick, Ikkaku."

"I'm going to fucking strangle you," Ikkaku gave a death glare to Yumichika which deterred anything more from him for a moment. "I didn't do it for Hanataro."

"You just said-"

"Shut up."

"But-"

"No, shut it."

"Aw," Yumichika cooed.

"Die in a hole," Ikkaku hissed.

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For anyone unaware, my updating policy is I post something every other day, except if something unexpected happens which prevents me from doing so (problems with internet, being away from my computer, etc.)


	31. Chapter 31

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He woke up earlier than usual, knowing he had a boring and annoying day ahead of him, with Yachiru's incessant demands and limitless supply of energy. There just wasn't any room for relaxing sleep in a day which was promised to be miserable, Ikkaku figured, so he woke up before the sun shined through his window to chase him out of bed.

The fourth division did normally start earlier than the eleventh though, so Ikkaku got out of bed with the promise of seeing Hanataro and confirming whether he was upset yesterday or just tired. If he was just tired then that's that, and there's nothing to worry about, but if he's upset then... Well, Ikkaku didn't know what to do. Maybe he'd turn him over to Isane, she always seemed to be the compassionate and caring type. He just hoped that it wasn't anything he'd done this time to cause the boy to be upset. Being on a surgery table with an angry Isane holding the scalpel wasn't a fun thing to do, or at least he didn't imagine it would be.

Not very enthusiastically, Ikkaku sat up in his bed and frowned, looking at his room with things thrown haphazardly across it. He never much bothered to pick up after himself unless he was hosting company that expected to be able to see the floor, and even then, all he did was push the garbage and random clothes into closets and under the bed. Now it kind of annoyed him that everything was strewn about, not that he would do anything to fix it of course, he just needed a reason to wear his normal "pissed at the world" expression when there was absolutely nothing that was around to bother him besides himself.

Hell, he thought, he didn't need a reason to be pissed off besides he wanted to be. Digging himself in a hole was reason enough, and he knew that his best friend Yumichika would only be good for throwing dirt on top of him, not pulling him out. Or at least, that's what his morning pessimistic logic told him at the moment. It didn't matter though, what he had to do was simple enough and he'd do it regardless of whether he wanted to or dreaded the very thought.

Isane. Her calm and motherly face suddenly popped in his head, though he doubted she would be the picture of peace today with him around. It was more than evident that she wasn't fond of him, even if she did seem to be an advocate for Hanataro. She would be at the fourth division's complex, probably to yell at him for everything conceivable.

Then, there was the issue of his boyfriend. Hanataro would be in a back room somewhere if he really was upset in order to hide from Ikkaku. Surely, even though Hanataro and Ikkaku weren't exactly joined at the hip that they knew each other well enough to tell when something was wrong. Ikkaku was pointing out small white lies since before they ever even got together, so he didn't believe he'd be the dense eleventh divisioner everyone thought he was, for sure.

Time to go, Ikkaku thought grudgingly while he worked out in his mind how to make the day bearable. He got up, threw his uniform on and walked out the door. It was too early for Yumichika to be up, so he'd made the stroll with only himself as company.

"Baldy!"

Or not.

Ikkaku was seasoned enough to catch Yachiru before she sunk her surprisingly sharp teeth into his bare scalp, but knew that would only annoy her to the point where she would throw a loud tantrum. He chose the lesser of two evils, which was letting her do as she pleased without bothering to catch her, and flinched a bit when he felt her land on his shoulders. Surprisingly no bodily harm came – at least not yet. He felt compelled to ask after a moment of silence. "Lieutenant?"

"Hm?"

"What are you doing?"

"You owe me all your time today!"

"I have to go fix Captain Unohana's door. Remember our deal?"

"Oh yeah..." Yachiru was perched on his shoulder and she started swinging her legs. "That's fine, I guess."

"So, why are you on my shoulder?"

"Cause Kenny's asleep."

"Good reason," Ikkaku said sarcastically. "What the hell are you doing awake so early?"

"I didn't sleep!"

"Why?"

"Candy!" She smiled her bubbly and cat-like smile, topped of by her adorable and ever-present blush. Every now and then, Ikkaku though she looked very cute, but her normal annoying attitude kept him from ever spending time with her. Now that she seemed so compliant though, he could understand why his Captain kept her around. Just her presence seemed to be kind of nice, though that was probably because walking all the way to the fourth division's complex alone while he wasn't in the best of moods wasn't exactly something he wanted to do.

"That makes sense... For you at least."

"Yun-yun was nice to give me so much chocolate. You should thank him for me!"

"You'll see him if I do, Lieutenant."

"Oh yeah..." She smiled and hummed while still swinging her feet. "Where are we going?"

"I already told you."

"I'm tired! I can't help it!" Pouting, she crossed her arms as if what Ikkaku had said was completely baseless rudeness.

"I'm going to the fourth division-"

"To see Flowers?"

Ikkaku sighed. "No, but I might see him anyways."

"Let's play a game while we go!"

"It's too early for this," Ikkaku complained.

"I spy something black!"

"The sun isn't up, everything looks black."

"Not the candles."

"What candles?"

"I don't know, but it wouldn't look black if we saw one."

"Unless it was a black candle."

"Who wants a candle that's black?"

Ikkaku shrugged. "It might smell good or something. Go ask Yumichika questions like that."

"I spy something that's definitely black, though!"

"My uniform?"

"How did you know?" She asked as if he just read her mind and told her some secret that she'd never shared with anyone.

He shrugged, but decided there were worse games that she could have chosen, and still walking towards the fourth division's square, he looked around at the soft and barely present morning light until he continued the game. "I spy something pink."

"Is it a flower?"

"There aren't any flowers."

"Is it a picture?"

"Where do you see a picture?"

"I don't know..." She started twirling her hair until an epiphany came. "My hair!"

"You got it," Ikkaku rolled his eyes.

"I spy something pink too!"

"Is it..." Ikkaku didn't see anything that looked even vaguely pink besides the Lieutenant's hair. He walked for a minute slowly, looking around for something pink until he figured it out.

"Brat. It's my warpaint. And it's not pink, it's orange!"

Yachiru started laughing. "Baldy, it's eyeliner!"

"Shut the hell up!"

"Third Seat, Ikkaku Madarame," Isane walked by and said the name as if it were one of those insulting words you shouldn't mention in polite company. "You shouldn't be so rude, she's only a kid."

Ikkaku nearly jumped out of his skin, like Isane was some type of ghost. He quickly recovered. "She older than she looks, and besides being young isn't an excuse for making fun of my _warpaint_ because it is _warpaint_ and it is not fucking eyeliner. It's applied with a brush, it's based off of-"

Interrupting and carrying the imperious while calm attitude her Captain does, Isane jumped in. "Children will play. You'd do well to be kind, Ikkaku, though I know it doesn't suit you well."

And this is the one who Hanataro likes, Ikkaku thought grudgingly but gave up the pointless argument because he knew for one he wouldn't be heard, and also it didn't even matter if he won because then she would just be mad at him. Though if Hanataro prefers her over his Captain, then he wondered how bad Retsu was.

"Baldy is nice!" Yachiru said and did her best to glare, though with her in such a good mood it was simply a portrait of cuteness rather than anything mildly intimidating.

"Lieutenant Yachiru-" Isane seemed extremely surprised to battle over the issue of Ikkaku being rude with Yachiru.

"No! Baldy's nice! And funny. And sometimes loud. And mean sometimes. And then sometimes scary. And other times just fun. Then when he's around Yumichika he's a grump, but I think that's just cause he doesn't want me around and I only see what he's like when I'm around so-"

"Thank you, Lieutenant... I think that's enough," Ikkaku stopped her, though he was torn between yelling at her for calling him mean or thanking her for all the compliments, or just laughing at the digression and priceless thoughtful expression.

Yachiru stuck out her tongue at Isane and Ikkaku chose, before a fight were to break out between himself and Hanataro's greatest comfort, to take a different route to the fourth division's complex and hopefully avoid her for the rest of the day.

It wasn't that she was being overtly rude, and Ikkaku registered that somewhat distantly. She was still weary of him being the brute she always believed him to be, and really he thought he could understand her protectiveness. It was kind of a given that she would want to protect someone who she treated like a younger brother, but he really wished she wouldn't surprise him like that and scare him out of his skin.

"Baldy, how come you ran?"

"It's easier that way," he replied uninterested.

"Aw!"

"What are you 'aw'-ing about?"

"You like Flowers so much you just pasted up fighting!"

"What? Shut up, would you?"

She smiled and giggled a bit, but didn't say another word.

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	32. Chapter 32

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"Ikkaku, shouldn't you be playing with Yachiru-"

Ikkaku shushed his best friend. "Yes, but I need you to do something for me."

Smiling, Yumichika replied. "What do you need from me?"

"I can tell already you want something in return."

"Maybe."

"Fine, but, I need you to go talk to Hanataro."

"Talk to him?"

"I saw him earlier when I was fixing the things for Captain Unohana-"

"Baldy!" A far-off and energetic cry rang through the air, causing shivers to go down Ikkaku's spine.

"He's upset. Make sure it wasn't me," Ikkaku said and beat a hasty retreat, while Yumichika smiled and pondered how exactly to take car of something so delicate.

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It was early in the afternoon by the time Yumichika got to Isane's room. He knew all the members of the fourth division were working overtime since the deployment of all those underlings to the riots, but now the schedule was pretty much back to normal. Really, he wasn't sure whether she'd even be awake or not after all the work she had to do, but regardless he knocked lightly at the door.

There was a little shuffle and a muffled, "Come in," that sounded as if her mouth was full. He pushed the door open and Isane was chowing down on porridge. Was there any surprise there? "Good afternoon, Lieutenant Isane-"

She swallowed the mouthful of semi-soup and stood up. "Yumichika, what are you doing here?"

"No 'Mr. Ayasegawa' or 'Fifth Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa' today?"

"O-oh. Sorry-"

"No, I like hearing my name by itself," Yumichika smiled and sat down on a tatami mat, urging for Isane to sit as well. Ikkaku was right about one thing, Isane decided, where ever Yumichika went you had to remind him he didn't own the place. No real harm was done, though, so she sat across from him and looked at him curiously with her slate eyes. He spoke for a bit, oblivious to scrutiny. "My name sounds so beautiful if you don't add any of those... What are they called?"

"Titles?"

"I guess, that's not the word I'm looking for... Honorific!" Yumichika smiled, pleased with remembering. "But then there are names like Isane. They sound pretty but the title 'Lieutenant' makes them more impressive."

"Yumichika?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you here?"

"That's not very nice to ask, you act as if you don't even want to see me," Yumichika replied with a pout. "But if you must know, Ikkaku thinks Hanataro is mad at him."

"What did he do?" Isane's voice lowered dangerously. It was plain to tell she was already plotting turning him into mince meat on the operating table, but Yumichika remained calm as ever.

"He doesn't know. You have to be patient with people like Ikkaku, I would know. I was with him for months, and he's the sweetest person I've ever met. It's just, he has some... Well, _trouble _with emotions. Like Hanataro has trouble standing up for himself."

"If he was insensitive, then I don't care if he has trouble, or whatever, because Hanataro can't deal with a brute like Ikkaku-"

"Now, now, anger is unfitting for someone so beautiful."

Isane blushed a bit. She wasn't expecting the compliment while she was threatening the man's best friend. "Still."

"Let's go over to Hanataro's room, we'll do something fun," Yumichika smiled brightly.

"Wait, what?"

Yumichika grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her along. "I think that it would be nice to give him a bit of a make-over, or maybe fix him some tea and just talk. No, a make-over, definitely. Then maybe I can do you later?"

"What?" Isane followed grudgingly, more because she didn't want Hanataro to face this brand of insanity all by himself than because she wanted to be there.

"Don't get the wrong idea," he said, opening the door to Isane's room and pausing for a bit while he tried to remember where Hanataro was situated. Soon he took off to the left, remembering where the drab room was located and then continued talking. "You're so very pretty, with your eyes. I love gray eyes. It's such a boring color normally, but your eyes remind me of a thundercloud."

"A thundercloud?" Was that supposed to be a compliment?

"Yeah, like it's full of emotion and it flashes with power. My eyes are more like a beautiful flower, which I think only adds to how everyone underestimates me," Yumichika said, still holding Isane's wrist lightly and leading her to Hanataro's room. "That's actually one of the best parts of being so beautiful and being a part of the eleventh division. You should stop by sometime, just so you can beat sense into the lower officers. They need to have respect for people as beautiful as us, right?"

For the second time, Isane blushed from the compliment, though she looked down to try to hide it when Yumichika beamed at her. She stopped in front of Hanataro's room, though because of getting so carried away talking, Yumichika passed it and if it weren't for Isane keeping him from walking on he wouldn't have even realized. "Hanataro's here."

"Right. So, are you going to stop by my division?"

"I..."

"How about tomorrow around five. You get off of work by four, right?"

"Are you planning something?"

Yumichika smirked, which basically told the story. "Of course. But it's going to benefit both of our divisions."

"Then tell me."

The beauty knocked on the door, ignoring Isane's request. "It's no fun that way," he added lowly right before Hanataro answered the door.

The timid and tired man nearly jumped out of his skin when he answered the door. Ikkaku was right, he didn't look his best. In fact, he might as well have just seen a ghost instead of his Lieutenant and the beauty.

"Hanataro, it's just me," Isane said lowly, concerned with the strange reaction. Though there wasn't a mark on Hanataro's body that she could see, she instantly assumed the worst, thinking that Ikkaku was being abusive. She wanted to shoot a glare at Yumichika, but she was too caught up in Hanataro's severe nervous demeanor, much worse than normal, to even care to do anything else but comfort him. She walked inside with her arm around his shoulder, though it felt a little awkward with the height difference being almost a full foot.

All three of them settled on tatami mats and Yumichika spoke first, over Isane who he was sure was going to accuse Ikkaku of doing something terrible. "Hanataro, I was thinking that your uniform seems a little baggy. Want me to hem it for you?"

"I-i-"

"Did Ikkaku do anything to hurt you?" Isane asked instantly, and shot a glare that could have stopped a weary heart towards Yumichika to keep him from saying anything.

"No!" Hanataro instantly replied. "He..."

"He?" Isane coaxed. She had already made up her mind, she only wanted to hear the evidence.

"He's been really nice. I didn't even think he could be that nice before when I didn't really know him."

The pale-haired Lieutenant wasn't convinced, but Yumichika wanted to ignore her paranoia if it would prove possible to do so. She'd get plenty of reasons to believe she was merely being protective later, and Yumichika didn't think him trying to force Hanataro to explain would change anything. Instead of continuing a conversation that was bound to end in disaster, he pulled out a box from inside his uniform. "I was thinking of trimming off the dead ends that are spouting all over the place. Your hair is beautiful without them, for sure."

"Don't change the subject-" Isane started. She didn't know Yumichika well enough to know he had very selective hearing, though. He went on without even acting like he'd been interrupted.

"I was going to do a hot oil treatment too, but I don't have the comb. I think Yachiru might've borrowed it and forgotten to give it back, but I guess there's always tomorrow to do that, right?"

"Actually, Yumichika, I'm busy tomorrow-"

"Well, whenever," he smiled and took his box, and sat on his haunches behind Hanataro. He brushed smoothly through his knotted hair, though the medic wasn't sure how it was possible for him to barely tug at all. "I know normally barbers get hair wet, but last time I was deployed in the human world, I saw that they have a technique called 'Dry cutting' where they don't use any water. I think it's a lot nicer than using water because-"

"Yumichika! Didn't we come here to talk about something serious?" Isane asked, getting his attention. Hanataro nearly jumped out of his skin.

The beauty, having brushed out Hanataro's hair perfectly, wished he had some kind of drape to use so he could cut without worrying about making a mess. He barely registered that he was spoken to, which only annoyed the Lieutenant further.

"Yumichika-" she started angrily.

"Hanataro, why are you upset?" Yumichika asked, cutting the hair and letting the dead ends fall neatly into his hand, leaving a pile next to him that he'd clean up later.

"I'm not upset," the medic protested. He wasn't completely sure how he even got in this position, but he knew he didn't like where it was going.

"Ikkaku's worried about you," Yumichika said distantly, as if he weren't even speaking to anyone. He was far too focused on the task at hand to carry on a decent conversation, but he felt he deserved points for putting in some mild effort.

"He's worried?" Hanataro asked and shifted a bit.

"Don't move," the beauty answered firmly and intimidated the smaller man into holding so still that Yumichika couldn't tell whether or not he was breathing. "He asked me to speak to you about it. I thought Isane would be able to help, but I suppose that you're just always nervous. It's not nice to make Ikkaku worry, though. He has our Lieutenant munching on his chrome dome to worry about, after all."

"I... I didn't mean to make him worry," Hanataro said lowly and looked down to avoid Isane's slate eyes.

"Well, what should I tell him upset you? I guarantee if it's a person that you want dealt with, one visit from either me or Ikkaku will quiet them. I know he's not the type that you think you can talk to about your problems," Yumichika said softly and blew off some stray hairs that fell on Hanataro's shoulders. "But he cares. He doesn't tell you he cares, and he doesn't show very well, but he cares. He does insensitive things, but it isn't on purpose. He's just an idiot."

Isane didn't know whether to be touched at the speech or laugh, so she settled for just looking at Hanataro to see what his response was. He seemed to be even more confused than she was, though.

"The mission I went on... It was just pretty bad. I was weak and I couldn't do much, then even when I did do something it turned out to be nothing. I know that sounds stupid but-"

"Being weak is a part of the fourth division," Yumichika said. It seemed so insensitive Isane wasn't sure who was the bigger jerk; Ikkaku or Yumichika. She wanted to hit him upside the head before he added on. "It's one of the things that Ikkaku thinks is cute about you. But he wants to help. Talk to him about it. And come to me if you don't know what to make of his reply, because he can be pretty confusing sometimes." The seriousness disappeared completely from Yumichika's voice as he pulled out a mirror and showed Hanataro his new haircut. "What do you think?"

"It looks the same... I can't even tell that it's shorter."

"No one ever appreciates anything!" Yumichika whined. "Look, the ends aren't so rough now, and it feels softer. Oh, I give up!"

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	33. Chapter 33

I forgot how much I loved Zelda when I was a kid.

I was trying to find this one piano piece that I had heard about a week ago so I was aimlessly looking around for it, and I found that one piece from Zelda, Ocarina of Time and I almost cried listening to it (until there's the silly part about two minutes in where it goes fast... I'm happy for that part because I wasn't in a place where I could cry really), so... Little nostalgia blast for me and I'm not even old enough for that yet. How am I going to be when I am old?

"Back when I was your age... Uh... Stuff happened!"

Kids all roll their eyes. "Yeah, Granny, we know."

"Kids were respectful to their elders!"

My little sister comes in. "I wasn't. And you weren't to Mom."

"You're no help!"

And then it would continue. I'd be insufferable when I actually have nostalgia to deal with.

I'm going to go cry at old video game music now, thank you.

Wait, still gotta write. Darn. Later then.

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The day was unbearably hot and Isane wished she was back at the fourth division complex where she could rest in the shade and maybe talk with her Captain for a while. It wasn't to be though, she had made a promise, or a kind of promise, to see Yumichika. The sun, though she wasn't sure how it was still so high, was insufferable even to someone who was trained to endure the worst of conditions. The uniforms Soul Reapers were required to wear just weren't suited for hot summers, she decided. Either way, with work done and nothing else to keep her in the office, she made her way to the training dojo for the eleventh division to see Yumichika siting comfortably on the stairs with his modified uniform's short sleeves and probably more breathable fabric, not having even broken a sweat.

"Yumichika?"

"Lieutenant Isane!" He smiled brightly. "Come on," he started to walk around the building and she knew already that the rest of the day was not going to be particularly fun. At least not for her, miserable and hot.

A large explosion and curse came from about fifty feet north. It sounded like Ikkaku and she was prepared to run after the sound if it weren't for Yumichika. "Don't worry, that's just one of Lieutenant's games. She never gets tired, though I'm not sure how. Ikkaku's been playing tag, though she modified it with explosives she got from Lieutenant Shuhei."

"Is that safe?"

"Safer than when they were playing with kido."

"What?"

"They had so stop when they almost killed a student with lightning. Anyways, these are more controlled, so it should be fine."

"Should be?"

"You never know with those two."

"Why don't they just play regular tag?"

Yumichika shrugged. "I don't pretend to understand everything that goes on inside my Lieutenant's head. Though, I think it's adorable how well they're playing together."

"But-"

"Trust me, compared to other times this is going very well. You're not going to dissect Ikkaku once he ends up in your division, though, are you?"

Smiling a little bit, Isane shook her head. "No. Not this time, at least. Where are we going?"

They turned round a corner and there sat both the eleventh division's new arrivals chatting it up with the fourth division. Isane was speechless, but Yumichika just smirked. "Everyone, two superiors just entered."

The group, who had been enjoying themselves so much that they didn't even notice the two walking onto the training grounds, stood and greeted them loudly. They weren't really in harmony, the eleventh division greeting Yumichika first and the fourth greeting their Lieutenant, but it was to be expected. "Continue on," Yumichika said and they all sat, a little more nervous now.

"Yumichika, what is this about?"

"I was thinking. Or, rather, Ikkaku made me think. He's always so worried about Hanataro not being able to fight at all, and neither can anyone else in the fourth division besides you and the Captain really. Anyways, I was thinking kind of along the lines of the fact that we have to find a replacement for golden statues."

"What?"

"The play I gave you to read."

"Oh! Romeo and Juliet?"

"Right! I say, since our division's are the feuding families, Montague and Capulet, that we live in harmony since everything is drawing to a close."

"You're getting too carried away," Isane said, though in truth she was kind of amused.

"Well, either way. We're not killing our star struck lovers, but I think the very least we can do is have our divisions get along. First thing is, make sure the new guys like each other, huh?"

"I guess so."

"Ikkaku already made our worthless losers understand the importance of the fourth division," Yumichika smiled at Isane's expression. "He really did, I'm not lying. But, anyways, these guys seem to be getting along well now. We only have to get the rest of our division to get along, so I thought of something that Captain would be happy with."

"Your Captain hates us, though."

"It took awhile," Yumichika admitted. "But, our guys are reckless idiots and your guys can't fight. We decided-"

"When you say 'we', you mean you just told your Captain what you thought?"

"Yes," Yumichika smiled. Now Isane was beginning to understand him. Though if that's true, he'd have to work overtime to be a little more spontaneous. It was at least nice to have her know where he was coming from, though. "We can have an agreement that works as statues. Our division's will buddy up during raids. My beloved idiots can be reckless, and your weaklings – I mean underlings," Yumichika quickly corrected himself. "They can be protected and heal those who get hurt. It would work out quite well, decrease casualties, and increase our fighting abilities by keeping us in great shape."

"Why are you so obsessed with Romeo and Juliet?"

"Because it's a love story, and I love love."

Isane smiled a bit. "So, what are we going to do?"

"Test how well it works. Your guys can handle injuries caused by sheathed zanpakuto's and fists, right?"

"Of course, but what do you mean-"

"Everyone, time for the daily beating!" Yumichika said loudly enough to be heard by the group.

"Where's Ikkaku?" One of them asked.

"You're going to test yourself against me today. Fourth division, back up. We'll see if any of you match up to the beautiful and amazing fifth seat," he smiled when he saw everyone seemed to boost in confidence. Ikkaku had always gone very easy on them, mainly for fun, giving them all a small chance to succeed against him, so they must have a big head from that deal. Their new opponent was the one who had previously given them tours and introduced them to who they would need to know, they had no idea of his ruthless nature. Some of them didn't even know he was a he right away.

Needless to say, them all thinking they did well against the third seat, they were sure of themselves when it came to fighting the pretty boy who was standing before them. The fourth division's newest members did as they were told, and shrank away, only to watch in horror as Yumichika proved himself to be at least ten times as vicious and deadly as Ikkaku let himself be against the recruits. The injuries were worse and the entire process of dispatching roughly twenty people was through in less than five minutes.

"That was easy," Yumichika said, dusting off his sleeve. He turned to Isane with a smile. "Have your students take care of this mess first. Then phase two."

Isane nodded towards the members of her division, though she seemed unsure. They shuffled nervously and began to go to work on the injured. "What exactly is this doing, Yumichika?"

"It's showing the beauty of innovation."

"I'm still confused."

"You look cute like that."

"Yumichika," she urged impatiently. "Tell me what you're planning."

With a smirk, Yumichika sat on a fallen log that was put as a make-shift chair in the training grounds, and looked up at a confused Isane. "Why is it our division's dislike each other?"

"Because you guys think we're weak, and we think you're all jerks."

"So, the fourth division is showing to the eleventh that even though they don't fight, they have uses. Being weak in our division is being useless, so now your guys aren't weak to us. The eleventh division is showing to the fourth that we need their help, and they're being nice even though they've heard of our vendettas against each other because they know they need help. See, it's embarrassing enough that I just beat them all to a pulp while they were so sure they could take me, but even more embarrassing than that is walking around with a limp and explaining how they got hurt."

"So, the new people get along. Then what?"

"I'll beat all the lower officers to a pulp too."

"Isn't there some... Less bloody way?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

Isane's brow furrowed, plainly concerned about the method, though Yumichika just laughed. "I was kidding."

"O-oh." Yumichika scored up one for himself in his mind. He's still plenty spontaneous, it seemed. It could be worse, Isane finally decided. Hanataro could've fallen for someone as crazy as Yumichika.

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	34. Chapter 34

I have a funny story! Who wants to hear a funny story? You do and I know it!

The other day I was in Spanish class at school (ICK! I don't want to learn Spanish), and we're walking around the room aimlessly for objects that have little post-it notes on them, and we have to translate the object into Spanish.

Well, I finish that activity then go looking for the teacher to remind her that we're not in kindergarden, we're in tenth fucking grade so let's learn this damn language like grown ups, an while we're talking about maturity, GROW UP YOU LIBERAL YUPPY BASTARD DUMMY-HEAD PERSON THING MA-BOB IDIOT FACE!

/Clear throat of phlegm/ Anyways. She was outside of the room, and so after I realize this I sit at my desk resigned to be bored.

And that's when I had an evil thought.

A genius little evil thought.

First I must explain to you what I hate more than anything about my yuppy Spanish teacher, though.

She has everyone's names written on Popsicle sticks so she calls on us at complete random, and I don't like being surprise attacked while I'm doing something else. And everyone else is still trying to find objects.

So, you should know my evil thought by now.

I walk over to the teacher's desk, see that idiotic conglomeration of sticks. And I dig through for mine. And then I find it. Pocket it. Walk to my seat. And grin all day.

But even more beautiful, I haven't been called out on it yet, and I kept the stick all day to throw away when I got home, so there's no way she would see the splintered remains of the bane of my existence (stupid Popsicle stick...)

Two of my friends know about the occurance though, so I might have to off them before they talk...

But besides that, my plan went over without a hitch! (How do I kill two people who are noticeably close to me yet in two completely different circles of friends so they have no other links tying them together besides me without being noticed?)

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"Yumichika," Ikkaku opened the door, not caring that it flew back and hit the wall. He'd patch the hole the doorknob made with something later, but right now that didn't matter in the least. It was too far into his torture with Yachiru to deal with this, it being Thursday, and him being miserable. He walked into the room with a frown and heavy lids, thoroughly exhausted from the day, and closed the door with his foot. Yumichika sat on the bed, looking up at him with his electric eyes. "I'm too tired to deal with you tonight."

"I talked to Hanataro for you, though," he pouted. "I was planning to spend the day with Isane, but I took out time to-"

"Yumichika, it's nothing that can't wait until tomorrow, all right?"

"It won't hurt you to listen," Yumichika insisted, moving over on Ikkaku's bed so the man could lay down comfortably. "Besides, I have other things I want to talk to you, and they're important."

"Doubt it," Ikkaku replied and laid down on the cleared space. "I'm too tired to kick you out, though."

"Just listen."

"Yessir," Ikkaku mocked and got comfortable enough to fall asleep.

"Hanataro is upset because he wants to be strong. So I told him you would train him."

"You did what?" Ikkaku bolted upright in the bed and glared at the eccentric.

"Or did I remember to do that? Oh well, I want you to train him regardless of whether I told him you would or not," Yumichika went on, ignoring Ikkaku's distress. "Yachiru talking to Captain is all fine and good, but really he's still angry. For life to be easier on everyone, you should make Hanataro strong. If you do that, I'll make the rest simple and Captain will accept Hana."

"I doubt that."

"I've got everything worked out, Ikkaku," Yumichika assured. "Or, at least ready to be put into motion. All I have to do is meet with Isane and deal with Retsu, then it'll all be fine."

"I doubt that, too."

"Whatever. I've got one more thing to tell you, then you'll be able to go to sleep."

"Fine, shoot," Ikkaku replied uninterested.

"I heard that Hanataro hasn't dated in a long time from Isane. It's not that he didn't want to, he just can never find anyone, according to her."

"So?"

"That means he hasn't had sex in a long time," Yumichika rolled his eyes, annoyed he'd have to state the obvious like that. Sure, it wouldn't be true for everyone who hadn't dated to be celibate (such as Ikkaku, not dating for a long time but certainly having his fair share of one night stands), but for someone shy like Hanataro that was a given.

"Yumichika, why do we have to talk about how often he's had sex?" Ikkaku groaned. Yumichika never seemed to be bashful in the least when talking about sex, but Ikkaku hated bringing it up simply because it made him feel nervous (not that he would ever admit to those feelings openly). As brutally blunt as he was, talking about sex made him kind of squeamish. That caused constant problems between himself and the beauty, but he didn't see a way to worm out of this conversation.

"Because, you're an insensitive brute."

"Gee, you're such a great friend."

"Ikkaku, I'm serious."

"About what?"

"You can't be rough with Hanataro. Not only will he never be in the mood if you're always such a moron in bed, Isane will dissect you if he complains to her. And I assure you, she'll be the first that he complains to."

Ikkaku's face flushed red. "Yumichika, get the hell out."

"Ikkaku," he said firmly. "Who else is going to talk to you about this stuff and help you not screw everything up. Lots of relationships end because the sex is horrible, and I don't want yours to end that way. Not again, anyways."

"That was once," Ikkaku said and buried his face into his pillow. It was hard to embarrass him, because really he didn't care if he made an idiot of himself or was made fun of. If you did hit a soft spot in a conversation and bother him with words, you'd more than likely be beaten to a pulp than have him become flustered as he was now.

"Let's not make it twice. I'll tell you what you need to know and then we won't talk about it again."

"I don't need to be told how to fuck someone, Yumichika," Ikkaku glared.

"You need pointers. Come on, who else are you going to go to for them?"

"No one. I'll just... Well, fuck it. I don't need someone to tell me, I'll be fine. Without your stupid pointers."

"Just listen to them. If you do, Hanataro will be that much better off."

"We're never talking about this again if I let you... Well... Yeah..."

"Right. Or I could get you a book-"

"I don't want a perverted book," Ikkaku said immediately.

"Fine, fine. Geez, you're such a pansy-"

"I swear you're two seconds away from me slitting your throat."

"I'm trying to help-"

"You're doing a bad job."

"Cause you're making it difficult."

"Just tell me what you're going to tell me and leave."

The beauty sighed, and hoped sincerely that Ikkaku would actually listen to him. There was severe doubt that Ikkaku would pay attention to a single word he said, but regardless he was going to tell him. "All right, first, get proper lube. Using lotion is fine sometimes, but really, lube is better than the lotion because-"

"Fine, you don't have to go in-depth. Just tell me and leave the advanced explanations to someone who cares," Ikkaku stopped him, at least proving that he was listening.

"Whatever. Second thing, don't pressure him to have sex right away. I know that's hard for you to grasp, but sex is something meaningful to some people-"

"Not including either you or me," he pointed out crudely.

"It means something to me."

"Yeah, uh-huh," Ikkaku mumbled, knowing better and making sure that Yumichika didn't think for a minute that he would buy that.

"Fine, fine. But to Hanataro, it probably is more than just fun. So give him time, and even when you guys are fooling around, don't assume that it'll lead to sex. You have to ease into these things, don't surprise him or think that anything means he's ready to have sex unless he says so. A lot of people give mixed messages when it comes to intimacy-"

"Who does that remind me of?"

"Shut up, and listen. You're making this last longer."

"This whole thing doesn't even need to be said, but that's not stoppin' ya."

"Just stop being an ass about it," Yumichika added the last part firmly. Ikkaku may be tired and grumpy, but his friend wasn't giving him any more lee-way than he normally had (which was quite a bit already)."And be nice, and sweet. You don't have to take him to a theater all the time, or be sappy, but you know. Just do things to make him smile, and when he finally does say yes to having sex, make it special."

"Special? What the hell do you mean – never mind, I don't even think I want you to describe it..."

"Stop being such a kid about this," Yumichika groaned. "Take him out to eat, bring him back to your place – make sure it's not a total disaster, maybe have some candles or something romantic, don't jump right into sex either. There's something called foreplay," the bald mans head was buried in his pillow again, making Yumichika smile. Maybe he shouldn't be having this much fun, but when there were opportunities to remind Ikkaku that he wasn't the baddest of the bad, they were always taken and thoroughly enjoyed. "You shouldn't talk too dirty to him, though. I take it he's the type that gets squeamish when those things are talked about. Then again, so do you, so don't worry about that too much. Make him feel comfortable, kiss him, look in his eye. Don't use any position that you guys can't clearly see each others faces. I'd say missionary-"

"Yumichika..."

"Ikkaku, stop being a kid about this. We'll never talk about it again, but once it all works fantastically, you'll thank me and want more tips."

"I don't see that happening."

"Just listen. But actually, don't use the missionary position. Let him ride-"

"You don't have to finish that..." Ikkaku said, and Yumichika smiled. He couldn't see the man's face, but his ears were bright red.

"It's not like he's gonna be the one to-"

"Thank you, Yumichika. That's all I need to know."

"Fine, fine. Just remember, slow, gentle. Be nice and patient. It'll pay off. And let him have some control so he'll feel more comfortable. Let's see, what else? Actually, I think that pretty well covers it. If I talk about any more, I doubt you can listen without a blood vessel popping," the vain man smiled and got up to leave, but not before adding in a sarcastic tone, "I bet Captain would be proud of you though, not being able to so much as mention the word sex without hiding your face in a pillow. If he accepts you, I see no reason why he wouldn't have Hanataro."

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I was going to skip describing everything, I really was, but then people would be curious. We can't be having that (I leave you guys wondering what the hell just happened enough anyways).


	35. Chapter 35

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Having her hair done was just something that Isane didn't bother with. She had it cut at a cheap barber when it got too long and started to be a bother, but really she didn't much care for having it styled or any of that excessive treatment that most people had done to their locks. Yumichika had insisted on having her come over to his house for the purpose of doing her hair, though even when he told her he'd done it before, she knew she was basically going to be a training dummy. There were plenty of aspects of their plan that they had yet to go over, though, and she wasn't picky about how she looked. Reluctantly, she agreed to meet him the morning after he spoke to Ikkaku to see how everything was unfolding.

She rose her hand to knock on the door to Yumichika's room, but he'd been anxiously expecting her and opened the door before her knuckles touched it. A morning person wasn't exactly what she would have believed a person so obsessive over his appearance (and presumably, beauty sleep) to be, but twice he'd shown he was more than lively during the early hours. "Lieutenant," the word rolled off his tongue easily, and though it was a term of respect and status, it felt more like a pet name when he said it. She'd insisted they were close enough for him to call her Isane during the off-duty hours but he wasn't having any of that. Maybe he meant it to be endearing, or maybe he just found the word "beautiful"? All she knew was he didn't like saying her name by itself. "Come in."

The room was flamboyant, with electric colors mixed perfectly with subtle off whites and grays. How he got away with so much alterations to his room was beyond her, but then again, he got away with an awful lot. Maybe that was just expected from the eleventh division, seeing as their captain truly didn't seem to care. She smiled and thought she could be left in the cluttered and bright room for an hour and still notice things different about it. Quite a bit of furniture was out to accommodate guests, but even more had been pushed to the side, inaccessible unless you wanted to cause a chain reaction by removing one article and causing the rest to come tumbling down as if it were an avalanche.

The bed was recently slept in, and hadn't been made. At least five contrasting quilts were strewn about it, with even more pillows than any human could have use for piled on top of it. There was a colorful bed curtain and it seemed as if the whole room was furnished with things bought with no eye for any type of design or inherited and thrown in. Far more likely, though, was just Yumichika's eccentric tastes led him to buy several things though he didn't much pay attention to a finished project. It felt so warm and lived in, though, that Isane would maybe try to have her room become like this, though maybe leave a bit more walking room. There was hardly ten square feet to move about the place, with more than three-fourths of the floor covered with random pieces.

A few notebooks, as well as some crumbled pieces of paper were thrown about haphazardly, and Yumichika was still in a light purple kimono that he slept in. As messy as the room was, it actually felt more comfortable than stuffy, and she'd prefer this to one obsessively cleaned. After her examination of the room, she remembered she was here for a reason. "Yumichika, you talked to Ikkaku didn't you?"

"Of course," he replied and led her over to a chair with a low back, dark wooden frame and colorful quilted pillows on it for comfort. He didn't have a cape here, though it didn't seem to matter to him so much. Besides the pieces of paper, and a few quirky stuffed animals, the floor was immaculate, lacking any type of dust or debris that would stick on your feet. Knowing his perfectionist attitude, he had a vacuum from the human world he'd sweep the hair up later with.

"What was the result?"

Yumichika walked silently over to a dresser that was covered with so many blankets, clothes and stuffed animals that Isane had honestly not noticed it was a part of the room until he opened one of the drawers. It seemed to blend into the colorful mess like a camouflaged entity. She looked around the room while Yumichika was going through the door, and noticed a window that was covered by a make-shift curtain that she hadn't even noticed before, she also pin-pointed a rug that was dark green and blue checkered that was beside the bed and saw a large mirror which had been fixed to the wall, having absolutely no frame. There was no getting bored in a room like this, that was for sure.

"... Then, he just fell asleep. I don't see why I even bother with him, he's such an ass."

Oops, Isane thought. She hadn't listened to a word Yumichika said. Her face went red as he walked back over.

"Lieutenant?" Yumichika saw her lowering her head, as well as turning red enough to put a tomato to shame, though with her white hair being such a stark contrast to any color, even if she was just a bit pink it would seem to be worse than it in fact was. "I was only kidding, I didn't tell the story yet."

Her slate eyes shot up to see him smiling.

"Sorry, I just had to. You were looking around like this is a foreign planet."

"Oh..." She skipped being mad in favor of being thankful her sanity was in tact.

The beauty laughed a bit, though she didn't think it was particularly spiteful. She'd always pictured Yumichika to be stuck up, and if you weren't on his list of either tolerable or beautiful people he definitely was, but at the same time he seemed so fun around her at least. He sat down a spray bottle to wet her short hair, three pairs of scissors and two combs. "But, Ikkaku's gonna train him. Your plan is really genius, by the way."

Isane blushed. "It wasn't hard to think of. You helped a lot, too."

"Let's not be modest now," Yumichika chided and started to go through her short hair without so much as a tug. It was pretty amazing to Isane how he did it so easily, because as short as her hair was, she always pulled on it quite a bit when she tried to get a brush through it. Somehow, it got matted in the hour a night that she slept. "Lieutenant, what do you think about me cutting all the dead ends off?"

"Dead ends?"

"The parts that get frayed."

"O-oh. Sure, Yumichika," she looked at herself in the mirror as Yumichika was combing though her hair, though soon she got bored and let her eyes dart around the room while holding her head in place. Using the mirror, she was able to discover at least twenty new items and she had a feeling it would take hours to even scratch the surface on the plethora of things piled in the room.

"I hope Ikkaku doesn't waste time with the training, though. I can only keep my division away from Flowers – I mean Hana for so long."

"Why would you call him Flowers?"

"I've been around my Lieutenant too long," he said, this time using the word somewhat fondly, but not in the same way he referred to Isane. It didn't sound like a nickname, but rather like he was talking about a superior like the word was intended. That made Isane feel happy in and of itself, that she owned the title of Lieutenant, or at least being referred to in a different way than the others who held the ranking. Yumichika made sure that it didn't sound the same.

"She calls him Flowers?"

"Yeah," Yumichika chuckled and cut just enough hair to get rid of the dead ends on her hair, though in some places he completely skipped because they were too short to bother with. "Maybe I could have her knock some sense into our division. She's got more energy than me, and she seems to like Hana."

"After we win your Captain over with this, then what?"

"Then we move onto our next project."

"What's that?"

"Hm..." Yumichika hummed as he cut the pale hair and thought. "I guess finding someone for you."

"Yumichika!" Her face flushed red again.

"What's your type anyways?"

"I'm perfectly fine single!"

"Oh come on now, that's no fun at all."

"What about you? I'll help you find someone instead."

"I have someone, and I'm just waiting for the right time. He's a busy person," Yumichika smiled and brushed some stray hairs off Isane's shoulders. After Yumichika brushed her hair out completely, it actually looked about an inch or two longer than when he had started, but she had to say she liked it. It was straighter and fell around her face, slightly above her jaw. He disappeared for a minute before coming back with a case of earrings and beads for hair. Maybe agreeing to come over was a bad idea after all?

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Special thanks to Safuuru here. She knows what she did, and I hope you don't think it's cheap how I put it so plainly and I sincerely hope you like it.

*This chapter is kind of fillerish, so complain if you must, but I really like Isane. She's never important in either the show or in most fanfictions (I'm sure there are exceptions, but really she's nowhere to be found in the ones I've read when she's one of the main characters. And when she's prominent she's so out of character that even I, who cannot write her correctly, have to complain a bit. She's got a subdued personality and won't really open up and be friendly unless she's, well, friends with the person. She's still shy around Yumichika and really she shouldn't be an open book to anyone besides Retsu or Hanataro, yet, okay? It shouldn't happen. But no, everyone's gotta screw with her awesomeness... All right, you've heard enough ranting from me. Goodnight, when it's applicable to your person.)


	36. Chapter 36

Okay, I know Sunday starts weeks for some, but I see it as the end of the week. I think it's a Jewish tradition, though Christians used to see Sunday as the beginning of the week too. I can't pinpoint why this was changed, but it has something to do with Slavs, Constantine, and Jews. Go look it up (I wish I paid attention when my History teacher was telling me about that but I was reading Clive Barker and just mumbling "Yeah, yeah, old things. Okay, I get it. I'm reading about someone named Jakabok Botch and having fun with it, so you can go fall face first into a spike pit and I won't look up from this damn book, do you think I care about what you're talking about? … Oh fuck, there he goes again! Shut up!" Oh well. It's on the internet, I checked but didn't feel like reading a lot about it). It's now Christian tradition to number Monday as the start of the start of the week and that's how I know things to be in Ohio, we be simple folk.

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Monday, being the first day of the week, was normally a dreadfully boring day in the fourth divisions. Fights didn't occur because everyone was too tired, many found it tacky to be drinking so early in the week and any other harmful excess was best put off till the week's end when there were parties being hosted. For the reason of everything being calm, with hardly any medical treatment required, Hanataro was instantly attracted to a scuffling outside. There was a bit of an open space for breaks on stressful days where he heard the noise, but certainly there wasn't any need for taking a break when there was no work being done.

Since he wasn't occupied with any task, and even his janitorial duties had been completed, he followed the noise to see Yumichika with the new arrivals from his division and the fourth division, along with a very pretty – if not, a bit gaudy – Isane standing next to him with her head in her hands. He understood why too, he could hardly believe this.

"All right, you be Sampson. What are you looking at me like that for? You want to be Gregory?" Yumichika was pointing and giving orders, casting for a scene in Shakespeare. Or at least, that's what Hanataro assumed.

"Um... Yumichika, Lieutenant Isane?" Hanataro stepped out of the building he'd been walking around aimlessly just moments before a bit tentatively. He had a feeling he'd become part of the cast if he stayed to talk, but he was too curious to let this go without commenting at all.

Isane looked up at him, showing she had pronounced but not painted on make-up. Maybe if he wasn't so used to seeing her look like a tomboyish type person, he would've thought she looked nice, but he almost jumped at the appearance of his Lieutenant. He could have dealt with the silver beads and blue earrings but the make-up was just too foreign on her pale face.

"Can't you appreciate the beauty of her new look?" Yumichika asked, and if Isane wasn't so fond of Hanataro he might have gotten angry for jumping instead of praising. He couldn't quite go off on the seventh seat so he settled for the rhetorical question before Isane caught his attention.

"This isn't my 'new look', all right? I'm not always doing this, Yumichika," she instantly said.

"Nonsense!" He exclaimed. "You look beautiful like that, Lieutenant."

Hanataro wondered why he was calling Isane by only her title, when before he might have not even bothered with it at all, and even more confusing was how he let the rank become like a pet name. Yumichika let it flow off his tongue without too much exaggeration, but he made it click, and Isane letting him be so formal was beyond what he thought he knew about the pale woman. He let it pass without saying anything, though, and tried to make sense of what was going on.

All the recruits stood, somewhat confused as to what exactly was going on, but none of them daring to speak up. Isane sighed, and for a moment Hanataro thought she was going to try to offer some sympathetic words to them, but instead she turned to her seventh seat with a tired smile. "As you can see, I'm kind of caught up in this. You better go before you're dubbed Tybalt."

Now Hanataro was wondering who or what a "Tybalt" was.

"He can't be Tybalt! Tybalt fights all the time and is violent." Yumichika instantly said. "Wait, he's a voice of reason. Hanataro, be Friar Laurence!"

"I thought he was going to be Juliet, and Ikkaku be Romeo," Isane said and as Yumichika paused to think, she motioned to Hanataro to run before he really did become a part of the insanity.

"But, someone has to be the Friar. I can't be addressed by that name at all, it's just too ugly. And in the Living World, the Friar had a mole in the move. I simply can't be him anymore, so I'll just be the beautiful Juliet," Yumichika said, and the moment before Hanataro was able to creep back in the building he continued. "Hanataro, Ikkaku's looking for you."

"I-i'm working," Hanataro protested.

"I can see it's very busy around here. Though, if you do want to stay, you can be in my play! Actually, let's do that. Ikkaku can wait, but the show must go on!"

Isane intervened for the second time. "You can leave for today, Hanataro. I heard how you haven't been able to spend any time at all with Ikkaku because of his Lieutenant."

"But, my play!" Yumichika protested.

"Let's have someone else play the Friar."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Hanataro flash stepped away before Yumichika was able to chase after him with a change of heart. It was funny how he was handling his sudden love of Shakespeare, mainly because Hanataro was fairly sure that none of the recruits had any idea of what he was talking about. Either way, he was staying out of that mess before he got dragged into what was sure to be hell. He could only imagine the beauty's anger when someone forgot their lines.

Hanataro shivered at the thought as he stopped running, thinking of his poor recruits but at the same time assured that Isane would be a mediator of Yumichika's crazyness. He sensed Ikkaku's spiritual pressure just two streets over and smiled at how easy it was to run into him. His boyfriend didn't seem to be moving at all, so he walked to where he felt the pressure's source and saw Ikkaku lying next to a building, presumably asleep. Why would he sleep in the middle of nowhere instead of in his room, though?

The bald man woke with a start, sitting up to see Hanataro looking at him curiously. "Hanataro, why do I have to put up with that she-devil?"

"Why are you sleeping on the streets?"

"I'm too tired to go home. This is where I dropped Sunday night."

Though he probably should have been worried about Ikkaku's health, Hanataro smiled a little bit. It was understandable that he was exhausted after the time he spent with a never-ending bundle of energy. "Hasn't your Captain been wondering about you after not being at work at all?"

"Screw work, his brat caused this," Ikkaku mumbled, sitting up and leaning against the building. "Wait... He's at a Captain's meeting today, or else Yumichika would've brought me to the dojo so at least Captain would see I'm there - and be happy that I'm miserable."

That's right, Hanataro thought. There was a meeting, or else Isane wouldn't be anywhere but by her Captain's side. "Why would he be happy to see you miserable?"

"Cause that's Captain Zaraki," Ikkaku said smiling, speaking fondly even though the words by themselves seemed spiteful by themselves. "Anyways, it doesn't matter. Captain ain't missin' me."

"As long as that's true, then I guess it's fine..." Hanataro trailed off, wondering if he could make it all the way to the eleventh division's barracks before he went on. "Ikkaku, would you like for me to take you back to your place?"

"That's too far for you," he immediately said, and he was probably right.

"Then, back to my room so you can sleep in a bed?"

"Ya don't need to worry about that – hey!" Hanataro was already picking him up and carrying him over his shoulder.

"Don't say that I shouldn't worry," he replied. Though he knew Ikkaku wanted him to speak his mind, it was still too foreign to come naturally to him. "If you get sick then it'd be my fault for not taking you inside."

"It doesn't work like that," Ikkaku grumbled. He knew that he was too heavy for Hanataro to have an easy time lifting, being a foot taller and maybe five times as bulky, at the very least. It was strange, but he felt kind of bad for making Hanataro feel like he had to help him. Ikkaku didn't even accept help from Yumichika without putting up a fight, but if he struggled here chances were that he'd knock the smaller man off-balance and, because it made sense in his mind while he was tired, possibly squish him.

Once they got to Hanataro's room, he had some difficulty opening the door but managed to open it and push it with his free hand and carry Ikkaku inside to put him on the bed somewhat roughly. He wasn't strong enough to hold Ikkaku long enough to manage putting him down gently, and was already panting. The idea of training him seemed all the more impossible to Ikkaku as he looked at his boyfriend and he sighed.

"S-sorry, Ikkaku, I-"

"Thanks for the help," he said to cut the unwanted apology short.

Hanataro visibly relaxing, knowing Ikkaku wasn't upset with him acting rashly. He went to shut the door, then found a chair and sat next to the bed, facing his boyfriend with a tentative smile.

"Hey," Ikkaku began awkwardly. "Yumichika said that I... Well, the reason that you were actin' weird earlier was 'cause you weren't strong." Ikkaku had every intention of weaseling out of that in any way possible during this conversation. With someone like Hanataro, it should be a breeze.

It was fair to say that Hanataro was expecting Yumichika to tell Ikkaku of their conversation, but he was a little surprised that it would be brought up now, when Ikkaku was so tired. He wondered maybe if his difficulty carrying Ikkaku reminded him? "Yeah. I couldn't do anything on my mission," Ikkaku regretted bringing it up immediately when he saw how upset Hanataro was over it. What was Yumichika telling him the other day? To use tact and grace with words? He should ask how the hell to do that. "I really wanted to do something to help. But it didn't matter."

"You were up against that freak of nature's test dummy, weren't you?"

"Huh?"

"Mayuri's thing... That whatever it was that he made."

"Yeah."

"Then what the hell are you upset about? Everyone was dead before you got there, hell, they were dead before I left the place," Hanataro lowered his head and Ikkaku thought maybe a less blunt method would do wonders. He didn't know how to go about that, though, so he stuck to what he knew with a softer voice. Until he worked out something with learning "tact and grace", whatever the hell Yumichika even meant by that. "I mean, really. You should be happy 'cause next time you go on a mission you'll be stronger from this one and you'll have a chance to make a difference."

"I won't be stronger, though. I'm just not suited for combat, so no one will even try to train me-"

"No one?"

"No one," Hanataro repeated, kind of confused that Ikkaku would ask that. He of all people must be aware of his boyfriend's ineptitude when it came to fighting.

"So you've asked?"

"I already know – I mean, who wants to train someone as weak as me?"

"Ya got a point there," Ikkaku said. The guilt, though it was new or at least so rare that he didn't remember the last time he felt it since getting together with Hanataro, was starting to make Ikkaku forget his wish to not have to train Hanataro. Or, not forget it, but push it to the side at least. "No one, I guess. Unless they wanted a challenge."

"Do you know someone?" Hanataro asked, his big blue eyes looking at Ikkaku, who had a cocky grin painted on his face.

"And Yumichika says I'm slow. Hanataro, _I'll_ train you. Provided you promise me a few things."

"Anything," the smaller man smiled ear to ear. There were a lot of things that Ikkaku wanted to use the clearance of anything for, but Yumichika's voice was scolding him without the body having to be around.

"You're gonna work hard."

"Of course."

"You ain't gonna give up after a few beatings."

"I-i guess."

"And ya aren't gonna say sorry every other word."

"Okay," Hanataro smiled a bit.

"One last thing."

"Huh?"

Ikkaku sat up, though it was somewhat difficult since he was so tired, and pulled Hanataro in for a kiss that was reluctantly returned, and when they parted the raven haired man was blushing bright red. "Let's meet after work tomorrow."

"I-i... All right." Hanataro was surprised. Sure, that wasn't their first kiss, but it was the first one that occurred while they were both in their right minds. Unless of course Ikkaku was tired enough to be hallucinating. Either way, it caught Hanataro off guard.

"In the mean time, you should probably get some stuff in to prepare ya. It'll be a pain in the ass if you're really sore, so I'll go easy on ya. Three laps around Seireitei."

"What?" Hanataro asked as all the romantic feelings of the moment left while Ikkaku pulled the blanket over his head to protect him from the light of mid-afternoon.

"Come on, ya said you wouldn't complain 'bout this. So don't complain and go run. Then do a hundred push-ups and you're done. My Captain's given me that time twenty just ta keep me busy while he takes a nap."

"I-ikkaku!"

"Shoo," Ikkaku urged. "Then when you're done I won't have anything else for ya today."

"But-"

"No buts, so get movin'!"

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Ha ha. Yumichika should have taught Ikkaku how to be romantic before he even allowed any of this to even begin. But what fun is that?


	37. Chapter 37

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"I-i..." Hanataro came into the room and fell to his knees, breathing hard and nearly unable to support himself, coated in sweat and muscles trembling. "Finished..."

Ikkaku had just woken up from his extended nap, with every intention to return to bed besides he was woken up by his bladder. He noticed it was well into dusk when Hanataro opened the door, while he was on the trip back to the bed. For a moment he thought, if nothing else, the man is dedicated. Sweat was pouring off of him freely and he was shaking from all the effort he had put into his task, though Ikkaku had thought it was rather easy for starting out. He was admiring the effort put into his orders, but Ikkaku couldn't stop himself from asking, "Hanataro... What took you so long?"

"Tired," was his response as he fell from his knees onto his stomach, intending to wash the sweat off tomorrow and just sleep for the moment. He should have known his boyfriend wasn't having any of that, and on some subconscious level he was sure Ikkaku would at least lift him up and take him to the bed, but what he wasn't expecting was the kiss when he was picked up. He felt disgusting, being coated in perspiration and dirt, with raw hands from the push-ups and legs that felt as if they were jelly from running.

"Hanataro, you look..." the smaller man expected the worse, not about to identify the emotion in Ikkaku's eyes as lust. He could almost hear Ikkaku's voice put the words into open air. _"Hanataro, you look like shit, pathetic, disgusting..." _"Hot."

"W-what?" Hanataro wasn't sure he heard that right while he was thinking of all the other things he expected to hear, but he wasn't sure what he could have mistaken Ikkaku's words for.

"Hot," Ikkaku grinned. He looked strange to Hanataro with his eyeliner – or, _traditional warpaint_ smudged, but strange didn't equate to bad. His eyes didn't seem nearly as intense without the orange smudges.

"B-but-" Hanataro was blushing and stumbling over his words when Ikkaku kissed him again, walking them over to the bed. He was fully intent on taking Hanataro right there and then, until he heard Yumichika's voice inside his head.

"_Be sensitive, or you'll screw the whole thing up. Who else is going to put up with you, anyways?"_

Reluctantly, Ikkaku ended the kiss. "Um... Sorry, about that."

Hanataro laid there, blushing like a virgin (hell, maybe he was) and looking up at Ikkaku with ocean blue eyes. "I-ikkaku..." His hair looked wet, and was hanging to his neck, his clothes were nearly soaked through and clinging to his body. He was a lot skinner than his uniform would lead someone to believe. He had a thing for as long as he could remember for someone who had just quit work or finished training, when they were sweating, tired, wet. Ikkaku didn't know how to explain it, but then again he never tried to, he was content just knowing that he loved the look.

That and Hanataro was just adorably cute in any situation, and just seeing that he wasn't the lightweight Ikkaku believed him to be was amazing news. Ikkaku always liked someone who could stand on their own two legs, and wasn't afraid to put effort into things they committed themselves to. It was too rare to see in his division though, with all the members being carefree drunks that were in the group simply because of its lenience.

"I didn't mean to attack you there," Ikkaku said, cursing his inner Yumichika for stopping him.

"I don't mind," Hanataro blushed and his heart picked up an extra ten beats a minute.

Before he got the wrong idea, Ikkaku knew he had to ask before a certain (hypocritical) voice impeded him for a second time. "Mind what?"

"Kissing."

Well, that was disheartening for Ikkaku to know that Hanataro wasn't going to let it go beyond that, but it was better than nothing. And you could never know for sure what the night will bring, so Ikkaku returned his lips to Hanataro's with passion but not as much rush as there had been at first. Hanataro's mouth opened compliantly when Ikkaku licked his bottom lip, and he didn't put up much a fight for dominance. Anything else would have really surprised his boyfriend in truth, so though he normally liked a bit of a fight he wasn't disappointed with what he got. He felt Hanataro's slender arms snake around his neck, and Ikkaku supported himself with one arm to keep from lying on top of the smaller man while he let another wonder down the thin man's frame. This seemed to surprise him, but he didn't argue.

"_When does he ever argue, Ikkaku? Don't assume things and make sure he doesn't mind," inner Yumichika scolded._

Damn. My conscious is kicking in for the first time ever, Ikkaku broke the kiss and Hanataro looked up at him again with his deep blush and curious eyes. "You... I mean, is it all right if I..."

"_Don't talk dirty to him, it'll make him uncomfortable."_

Dammit. What what he supposed to say? "What are you okay with and what are you not okay with?"

That was kind of hard for Hanataro to say. In the heat of the moment, he was okay with mostly anything, so long as it made Ikkaku happy. He'd never once stood up to someone and told them his principles, and normally let them be trampled all over just for the sake of avoiding and unpleasant confrontation. So, he did as he always did. "Just whatever you want."

Bingo, Ikkaku grinned, but as he went down to continue kissing, a pang of guilt hit him and he stopped again. "You really shouldn't be saying anything at a time like this."

"I'll let you do anything," Hanataro blushed furiously and averted his gaze from his boyfriend who was perched over him, sure that his heart would pop out of his chest if it kept beating so furiously.

"I didn't ask what you'd let me do," Ikkaku said firmly. "You'd let me do anything. I already know that. What do you not _want_ me to do?"

Ikkaku caring and being so sweet was almost enough for Hanataro to drop his principles as being useless. But for the first time he was told to speak his mind and he decided that he'd take this opportunity. "I... Don't want to do anything more than kiss. We haven't been together very long. I-i mean, I really like you but..."

"But what?" Ikkaku was curious.

"I don't love you... Not yet."

"You only have sex with people you love?" Maybe that question deserved some more tact, or at least more than a moment's thought before it was put into open air but, too late now. The idea of love in and of itself was foreign to Ikkaku anyways. He might have loved the people he called family in his early days in Rukongai, but, besides that, he'd never even felt much for someone.

"That hasn't always been the case," Hanataro replied lowly, a little ashamed but already decided that he would tell the truth to Ikkaku.

"Did someone force you?" Ikkaku asked a bit protectively. He didn't want to get too hot in the moment anyways, because he was already getting hard from the make-out session, despite its frequent intervals. He had to distract himself somehow.

"N-no... Just, I... Don't do a good job at saying no."

"I've noticed," Ikkaku smiled a little bit. He still hated that Hanataro was such a mental push-over, but then again, he was a complete jerk so he needed the patience this man had to put up with him. He brought his hand that had been resting next to Hanataro since exploration was off the "okay to do" list and stroked his cheek. Sure, he wasn't the romantic type, but he knew that the least he could do was try to be gentle. That, and he loved to see Hanataro get flustered and not know what to do, which seemed to happen each time Ikkaku went out of his way to do something nice.

"I-ikkaku..."

"Hm?"

"I was wondering... About the training?"

"Ya can't go back now that ya started."

"That's... That's not what I was wondering."

"Then spit it out."

"Is this kind of thing going to happen every time I finish training?"

"Do you want it to?"

He blushed and looked down for the millionth time. "Y-yeah..."

"I definitely think it can be arranged then," Ikkaku grinned and kissed Hanataro again.

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	38. Chapter 38

Does anyone else have the problem of writing every chapter at least two different ways? It's really eating up my free time. This one wasn't the normal two though. It was like five and really annoying and after the fourth which was the last in a long string of unfoldings that I didn't like, I was finally through and said "I don't care how this one turns out. This is it!" And it was. :)

I kind of almost like this one... Still want to do another, but there are more chapters that need to be written so screw this one. I'm not doing it again.

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"Hanataro, are you okay?" Isane asked, putting a stack of paperwork almost half her height on the front desk which Hanataro was assigned, as the new recruits were done with any training with him, and sighed.

"Y-yeah. Why?" Hanataro was really trying not to wonder into any day dreams, but it was kind of hard for him not to. Sure, he wasn't looking forward to when the training got serious if last night was easy, but he couldn't help thinking about what Ikkaku will do afterwards.

"You've been weird all day."

"Sorry..." He began to wonder if his Lieutenant noticed Ikkaku's spiritual pressure in his room last night or was just too busy writing her nightmares down in a journal to sense his presence in the fourth division's barracks.

"Well, if Nanao comes by, I need you to send her to the Captain's office. I have to get moving," she picked up the stack of papers, which must have been extremely heavy for her to have to put them down when she stopped, but Hanataro was just glad that they weren't his responsibility.

Not ten minutes after Isane's visit, Nanao walked into the main door and seemed to inspect the place as if she were judging its worth by initial appearances. After a moment, she walked over to Hanataro, with a large leather-bound book cradled in one arm while her free hand went through the many papers stuck inside of it, pulling a small envelope out as she reached Hanataro's desk. Her tone, as par usual, was condescending and commanding authority that she didn't really possess, at least not to the extent she seemed to address in her voice. "I have an appointment with Captain Unohana." She handed Hanataro the envelope.

"U-um..." Hanataro fumbled with the envelope, knowing if he sent her from prior knowledge he'd be reprimanded by her for being irresponsible. Once it was opened, he skimmed it over and then handed it back to her. "I need to check to be sure that she's not busy."

"You should know that at least," Nanao sighed.

"I'm not her personal secretary, I'm at the front desk to help those who need to know where to go," Hanataro told her, though not raising his voice very much, he surprised himself and most everyone who was close enough to hear.

"Be more respectful to your superiors," Nanao instantly said as if it were a reflex, though honestly she was dumbfounded to see the shy and soft-spoken seventh seat to say something so out of line.

That could have been handled different, Hanataro thought and went off to check on his Captain's predicament before Nanao could see his embarrassed blush. He knocked on the newly installed the door with extreme caution, as if it would fall just like the old one. When that didn't happen, he heard Retsu call calmly for him to come in.

"Nanao is here to see you," Hanataro said lowly, trying to avoid looking at his Captain so she wouldn't see the blush that was still on his face. Maybe what he did would be no big deal for most people, but really he couldn't remember ever saying something so uncalled for. Even if she was being rude, that was one of the perks of being a Lieutenant. You were allowed to be rude to the lower officers because you had rank over them, just like officers were normally rude to the lower seated and unseated members of the Gotei 13. It was an unwritten rule that the Soul Reapers of Seireitei just accepted.

"Why didn't you send her then?"

"I-i wasn't sure if you were free... Sorry."

"I mean to my secretary," she looked up from her paperwork to see that Hanataro was even more flustered than his voice would have led her to believe. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. Please send her."

"Yes ma'am," he scurried out and in a few minutes was replaced by the ever confident Nanao, who came in with her usual frown, carrying a book that looked like it may weigh more than her.

"Good morning, Captain Unohana," she bowed customarily and stood by the chair until she was told she may sit.

"It's quite early for you to drop by," Retsu commented calmly and looked up. "Please, I didn't have these chairs put in here for no reason."

Nanao, ever respectful, bowed again and took her seat, laying her book in her lap and depicting to all eyes the most serious one in all of Seireitei. She never seemed to let even a flash of weakness show in any situation, though Retsu liked that about her. Some thought it must be awful to behave like her, but Retsu respected the strength that she had to be able to do what she did with practiced ease. Maybe most didn't like her perpetual facade of perfection, but she deserved some credit for keeping up the strong face at all times.

"So, Lieutenant Nanao, I hope you're possessing more than a passing interest, because I would love to inform you of why I was distressed the other day at the meeting, but if I do I would like your help."

"If I may be of assistance to you, don't hesitate to ask," she replied in a stoic voice as an obligatory statement rather than a sincere wish to be of use. If nothing else, she was one of the most duty bound people you would ever meet.

"Third Seat Ikkaku Madarame is in a relationship with my seventh seat. Hanataro is simply not prone to positive experiences in relationships, most of them involving emotion or physical abuse of some kind, according to Lieutenant Isane, who is close with him. I was angry with Captain Zaraki at the time because he is always causing problems in the fourth division, and Hanataro is my best teacher for new arrivals. I also care deeply for all the members in my division, so when they're put in danger I go to great lengths to protect them from that when I am able," she paused and smiled a bit. "I would like you to help me confirm Hanataro's health in this relationship. I would try, but he's too familiar with my pressure to not notice me checking up on them, but neither are too familiar with yours I take it?"

"I've never been close with either of them for extended periods of time, you're right," Nanao confirmed. "But..." Was it right to voice her complaints in this situation?"

"If you would rather pass then I don't blame you," Retsu said calmly and folded her hands on her desk, looking into Nanao's eyes and smiling gently.

"It's not that, but rather I've never been a spy. I don't know how efficient I would be-"

"Not a spy, dear. That's an awful word to use to describe yourself. Besides, a spy indicates that there is an enemy, and so far as I know there aren't sides established – yet, anyways. You're merely gathering information from people instead of books."

Nanao blushed, taking the comment as mockery instead of encouragement like it was intended. Though her respect for Retsu, who seemed to be a perfect example of what she wanted to be like as a captain, wouldn't allow her to form the word "No" in response to a favor asked. Nanao hesitated for a moment before agreeing to do what she could.

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Everyone had been released from work and after Nanao went back to her room to eat and wait until she felt both Ikkaku and Hanataro's spiritual pressures in the same area. It wasn't ten minutes before she felt them at the eleventh divisions training grounds and Nanao darted off, after cleaning up the dishes.

She picked a building that would conceal her well enough from the training grounds from which she found both Hanataro and Ikkaku to be. They were rather far, but she managed to make out most of the conversation and could see them well enough. Hanataro was covered in scratches and his words were interspersed with gasps, like he'd been crying and was trying to catch his breath.

Not so great as of yet.

"You shouldn't of did all that stupid shit and maybe you wouldn't have got cut up," Ikkaku said to his boyfriend, who he had pulled onto his lap after a long training session. He got pretty beat up from just some wooden training swords, but they had made good progress in just one afternoon. He was still horrible, but at least he held his sword without shaking now. Ikkaku figured they could work on his automatic response to jump out-of-the-way every time a sword was swung instead of countering it later.

"Ikkaku," he paused to catch his breath. "That's not fair. You shouldn't be so hard on me."

Ikkaku kissed the smaller man, and Nanao thought it looked quite forced, and she could see his feral grin from her base of operations. "Shut up, you promised you wouldn't complain, remember?"

"Yeah... Sorry."

That was enough for Nanao, though when she got up she heard Ikkaku yell something. She didn't make out exactly what, but she was pretty sure that she had seen all she needed to see. Ikkaku practically confessed to causing all though bruises and scrapes littering Hanataro's thin body. It was too late in the afternoon to drop by Retsu's quarters, or at least too late for such a visit to be polite between two people who hardly had any knowledge of the other.

A visit to Isane would be a different story though, due to the fact that they had gotten quite close since their time spent in the Soul Reaper's Woman's Association. Nanao flash stepped off to see the pale-haired woman as the two whom she was sent to investigate kept on quarreling.

"I-i just forgot," Hanataro said lamely.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Ikkaku sighed and kissed Hanataro on the cheek lightly on a bruise. "I have to do something with you."

"W-what do ya mean?" Hanataro asked, smiling a bit despite himself. Ikkaku lacked the ability to be sweet all the time, but when he was it meant a lot to the medic. His light kiss didn't cause any pain, and seemed to soothe his bruise more than anything.

"Get ya some confidence."

"It's not like you can just buy it at the store," Hanataro rolled his eyes.

"No," Ikkaku replied, pulling Hanataro closer to him. "But I musta found some somewhere to give ya, cause you'd never say something like that before."

Hanataro blushed, realizing it was the second time he'd spoken out of turn that day. "I-i-"

"Don't you dare say sorry, either."

"All right. Hey, Ikkaku, what do you think of Nanao?"

"Ugh... Bitch," Ikkaku grimaced and gazed off into the distance, telling Hanataro there was a story behind his dislike. Hanataro wanted to ask about it, but since the mood had been good all day, despite his own pain throughout the sparring Ikkaku had insisted upon, he chose not to.

"I have a story to tell you about her, it happened earlier today. I think you'd be proud of me," Hanataro smiled a bit and Ikkaku rested his chin on the top of his head.

"Let's hear it."

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What?

You think I would give Nanao two lines then send her on her way? (referring the Captain's arguing and then her wondering about Retsu.)

Nah. Just practicing with what I like to call "foreshadowing"! As you can seem I'm a real crap writer when it comes to trying my hand at prose or foreshadowing, but hey. I try.


	39. Chapter 39

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Nanao noted that Isane was quick to grab her zanpakuto, mumbling to herself about what a good for nothing Ikkaku was once she'd heard the story from her friend's lips. There wasn't a single embellishment that Nanao allowed to pass her lips, but in Isane's mind every single negative thing she relayed was inflated a thousand times. The only question she had about anything was how to beat the insensitive brute senseless so he'd get it through his thick skull not to go near Hanataro again.

Unfortunately, Nanao realized her intentions easily and stopped her at the door. "Ikkaku is stronger than you," she said stoicly.

"Fine. I'll have Yumichika beat sense into him."

"Fifth Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa?" Nanao asked, making sure that Isane wasn't referring to someone else.

"Yes."

"He's Ikkaku's friend," Nanao said and went red and pouted, recalling a not so pleasant experience with the Ikkaku that Yumichika took every opportunity to tease her about. "He'd be of no help at all."

Isane didn't notice the angry infliction on Nanao's voice and grabbed her wrist. "Come on, you can tell him the story. I'm sure that he'll help us."

"Wait, Isane-"

"Don't worry about it, Nanao," Isane insisted, and ran off with her friend following unwillingly at her heels.

When they got to the eleventh division's block, they were instantly met with the rudeness they were known for, but seeing as the ones taking abuse from them were Lieutenants, they kept their distance as they threw taunts. Isane huffed, as though she was used to this behavior, though the annoyance didn't wear off. It was an understatement to say Nanao was confused, but her wrist was still in the grip of her friend and she continued to follow.

Yumichika stepped out of his room and with a few words sent all the scattered members of his division running. "You guys aren't bothering Lieutenant Isane, now are you?"

The grip on Nanao's wrist slackened and eventually the pale hand fell by its owner's side as Isane smiled. "Thank you, Yumichika."

"What brings you here?" Yumichika asked brightly. "Or I should ask how you got Nanao to come within one-hundred feet of Ikkaku's room."

"Why's that?"

"Because," the beauty smiled and tried to imitate her voice, and though it didn't sound at all like Nanao, it was very authoritative and serious. "He's an irresponsible drunk, and careless pervert who doesn't deserve a high-ranking position in the Gotei 13, not to mention he doesn't know the meaning of hard word unless it involves beating people up until he's sweating." Yumichika went back to his normal voice. "Oh, and he sabotaged one of the Soul Reaper's Women's Association meetings along with Iba a year ago or so."

"He did what?" Isane felt as if she were betrayed somehow.

"See?" Nanao said. "Ikkaku's nothing but an irresponsible and careless-" she stopped herself with Yumichika grinned at her taking his words he'd already used. "A-anyway! Isane said that you'd do something for us."

"For Lieutenant? Almost anything," Yumichika replied, confusing Nanao a bit at the way she assumed he was referring to Isane. "Come inside and tell me what my little band of morons did this time."

"It's just Ikkaku," Isane said and followed Yumichika as he walked back to his room. Nanao looked at them as if they were alien for a moment, them behaving like old friends for some reason completely unknown to her. She quickly was brought back to reality and followed them before Yumichika shut her outside.

"So what did Ikkaku do this time? Um, Nanao?" Yumichika asked the woman, who was staring at the disheveled room as if it were sprayed liberally with blood. Her obsession with organization had her detesting Isane for bringing her to such a dirty place.

"This place is filthy," Nanao hissed. "How can you live in a place like this?"

Isane stood between the two. "Yumichika, she didn't mean-"

"Oh, so you're one of those idiots who can't appreciate beauty?" Yumichika returned with even more passion than Nanao.

"Beauty? This isn't beautiful, it's disgusting – a mess."

"If it was spotless it couldn't be beautiful because nothing would stand out."

"Things can stand out without being so dirty. This shows that you're too lazy to clean."

"No, it shows that those glasses aren't doing you any good if you can't see what's right in front of you."

Isane pouted and found a place far out-of-the-way so the argument could continue between the two without risk of her being caught in the crossfire.

Nanao was plainly offended. "Is that so, then maybe," she motioned to take her glasses off. Yumichika remembered clearly how frightening the passion in her eyes was. He shook involuntarily, but surely she didn't think the war would be one with a single battle.

"So now you're going to be a coward?" He asked vehemently.

"What, is that going against your code?" She mocked, taking her hand away from her glasses despite her words criticizing him.

"Yes, it is. I know you pansy of a Captain who can't see past his sake cup and can't be contained by you doesn't do well for setting rules down, and you're so unimaginative that you can't even think of making a code on which to go on-"

"Yumichika, I continually write advice for many people using the Seireitei Communications – and it's good advice. I don't care whether or not you see it, but I'm very creative. I just use a wonderful thing called organization as well."

"There's no such thing as both!"

Isane pulled one of the many quilts on Yumichika's bed over her to avoid watching anymore of the confrontation. They went on for about five more minutes before she heard her name and peaked out of the quilt. Yumichika's voice called her name but Nanao was the one looking at her. "Sorry about that Isane – we came here for a reason."

Her voice betrayed her words. Neither her eyes nor tone were apologetic but regardless Isane breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now, what did that meat-head do this time?"

Nanao glared at Yumichika. "I already told you. Weren't you listening?"

"To you? No, of course not. Not with that ugly voice, you speak like a computer would."

"Yumichika, you guys just finished arguing," Isane said, stopping Nanao before she thought of something biting to say back.

"Fine, fine," the beauty mumbled.

Nanao sighed and repeated everything she'd seen with no inflictions or embellishments, to which Yumichika made another comment about her robotic speech.

"You're such an idiot. Very few people tell events as they happened, they always add unnecessary things!" Nanao defended herself.

"Then go be a Historian. In the mean time, leave story telling to people with personalities."

"You're a pain."

"And what are you? A pleasure? Please," Yumichika rolled his eyes.

"Stop being such a brute!"

A spike in Yumichika's spiritual pressure indicated that maybe that insult had crossed the line. Nanao was rather confident in most situations, but Yumichika was known for his ability to take down Lieutenant level fighters without too much difficulty, as well as for his sadistic streak. It was easy for her to admit, in this situation at least, that she wasn't so sure of herself. The beauty smiled though, and his spiritual pressure returned to normal. "Lieutenant, if you want, you can come with me and I'll slap some sense into Ikkaku. But first, Nanao, you should know that I'm not a brute. I'm the most beautiful in all of Seireitei because I stand out so sharply from my division, and I stand out because I am most certainly not a brainless moron who just wants to pick fights."

"Either that, or you're a narcissist who validates himself in stupid ways like that," Nanao rebuked and stood, brushing a piece of hair from her face and frowning. "Do well with Ikkaku-" she began dismissively as if she were ready to say her farewells.

"Who said you weren't coming?" Yumichika asked, though it surprised both of the women in the room. "Let's go. I feel his spiritual pressure back in the fourth division hospital."

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"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Hanataro asked skeptically as Ikkaku was working on several broken sinks in the psych ward. Sometimes he really believed it was best not to know went on in the minds of those people, but at least this time what they had done will be quickly fixed. Provided Ikkaku was competent...

"What the hell kind of question is that? Of course I know what I'm doing-" Ikkaku turned to his boyfriend, and when he did so the pipe feeding the sink sprung a leak due to his antics as well as those of his boyfriend, and not the original damage. It was spraying the bald man down while Hanataro started to panic. "The red wrench dammit!" The flow of water started to increase as Ikkaku groped around his toolbox for said wrench. Hanataro handed it to him, his hands shaking.

A moment later the water stopped and Ikkaku glared at the sink like it sprayed him of its own free will. "Damn thing..." he mumbled and continued to work on various parts.

"They're in the restroom?" Isane had a deep blush as she asked right outside the door with her two friends, Nanao standing next to her with an equally dark shade of red, though she did her best to look disgusted.

"You can feel the spiritual pressure, can't you?" Yumichika asked, as if he were reprimanding her for asking the obvious, mocking only because he knew that Ikkaku wasn't doing what the ladies suspected him of. Whenever he did his spiritual pressure was extremely erratic, though now it was relatively stable.

"What are you doing? Ikkaku!" Hanataro shouted.

"Ow! Dammit, Hanataro!" Ikkaku's voice could be heard from outside. "Stop that!"

"W-what are they-" Isane started, though Yumichika cut her off.

"What's that?" He pointed to water flowing out the door slowly.

"U-um..." Nanao frowned. "Yumichika, you go in."

"Nu-huh. I don't know what they're doing in there."

"Isane," Nanao defaulted. "Go."

"No way!" She replied.

"It's your division, Lieutenant," Yumichika pointed out calmly, still looking at the steady seeping of water curiously.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Hanataro yelled as he ran out of the bathroom, leaving the door open and running down the hall without mention of the crowd around the door. Ikkaku threw the wrench after he was out of sight. "Stop saying that, dammit!" Nanao was the first to glare at the bald man, lying in an increasing puddle of water, working on the sink. The faucet was what he had come to work on, because they wouldn't shut off but now the feeding pipe was leaking. Great, just great.

He was so mad at his task that he didn't notice the three looking over him, even after Nanao cleared her throat to announce her presence several times. After about five minutes, Ikkaku fixed both the faucet and the feeding pipe. "Ikkaku, I've come to speak with you about-" Nanao began.

"Hold on. I just figured this out," he said, waving her away and fixing the rest of the sinks. "Yumichika, this is a pain in the ass."

"Do you need help?"

"Sure. Hanataro's 'help' really delayed this."

"Don't speak about Hanataro so rudely!" Nanao shouted and was rush by with Hanataro mopes and towels a plenty to clean up the mess.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry."

"I'm teaching you what the fucking tools look like next time 'fore I let you help," Ikkaku muttered.

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I have a feeling someone is going to pick up on my dislike of Nanao.

I also have a feeling that someone is going to accuse me of character bashing.

Or doting on my favorite characters because I can.

Or even using horribly common cliches.

The last one I won't argue with, but for the first two, I think I'm being rather fair with the characters.

I normally don't like idealistic items put into my stories.

Showing the nasty side of everything, putting flaws under the plain light of day for every character is what I do in my stories.

I'm pretty sure I bashed ever character I put in this story if they've had more than a few lines.

Example: Yumichika being psychotic (and when I say that, I mean the literal definition of psychotic, as in, thinking he's above everyone else and willing to put others through hell just for his own entertainment) while he's my favorite character, as well as being an ass and assuming power that he doesn't really have. Kenpachi for being a hypocrite, while he's one of my favorites. Mayuri for causing the death of thousands and putting Hanataro through hell, while Mayuri is easily one of my favorites, just a bit below Yumichika in my eyes. Retsu for being all high and mighty without coming out and saying that she thinks she's better than most because of her experience (so, a soft-spoken Byakuya.) Hanataro doesn't get a break in this story either, being constantly picked on for being weak and I absolutely love Hanataro for his cuteness.

*Also, Ikkaku gets a special mention away from everyone else because he's a romantic inept ass who's rude in every possible way though it's completely uncalled for and Hanataro is just too shy to speak up to him.


	40. Chapter 40

Cheap? Yes, I am, thank you. (This is more foreshadowing. By saying that I'm cheap you know a real kind of crap story awaits you.)

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"_I need a five eighths bit and the speed wrench-"_

"_The what?"_

"_Hand me the index and the speed wrench."_

"_What's a speed wrench?"_

"_You're kidding? Come on, Hanataro! Speed wrench, it's like a stick with a bend in it for a handle – what the hell is this? This thing that you handed me ain't a speed wrench. Where the hell did you get it?"_

"_I don't know!"_

"_Come on, I fixed the drain with it earlier."_

"_Oh, that," Hanataro rummaged through the box before handing Ikkaku a monkey wrench._

"_Hanataro..."_

"_Yeah?"_

"_This does not even begin to fit my description of a speed wrench..."_

"_B-but-"_

"_And I have not used this at all today."_

"_Sorry, but-"_

"_Stop saying sorry!" Ikkaku fumed, and raised himself up quickly to glare at Hanataro, though when he did he hit his head against the pipe, causing it to spring a leak._

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"You really are a hard-head, Ikkaku," Yumichika said, leaning against one of the stalls and smiling. Hanataro was just finishing mopping up the mess. "But why did he run out yelling 'sorry' if it was way past when he made you mess up in the first place?"

"Because he did the same thing twice," Ikkaku said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry!" Hanataro repeated, putting up his cleaning things.

"I know. It doesn't change that I have a gash on my head," the bald man said with the same frustration.

"It's your fault!" Isane said with a frown. "You shouldn't have had him help without showing him what he needed to know!"

"I didn't even know what I would need to use, how was I going to tell him?"

"Either way," Nanao began. "That temper is no excuse. And what about those injuries on Hanataro? Did he forget to hand you your tools then too?"

"Why don't you ladies get out of the men's bathroom?" Ikkaku asked, glaring annoyed at them both.

"You didn't answer," Isane said and glared back at him. "You did all those, didn't you?"

"No duh," Ikkaku replied bitingly. "You think another person would so much as put a finger on him without me bending it backwards?"

"Ikkaku, that's not the right way to them that it was part of your training," Yumichika sighed, surprising both of the Lieutenants in the room.

"There's a right way to tell them shit that's none of their business?" Ikkaku asked angrily.

"Ikkaku, please don't be so mean to Lieutenant Isane, she only wants to help..." Hanataro mumbled lowly, looking at the floor as he did so.

"Then you tell 'em," Ikkaku said confidently. "You actin' like a whipped dog isn't helping my case at all."

"Stop talking to Hanataro like you own him," Isane warned.

"Lieutenant, Ikkaku's never hit Hanataro once outside of training. I was hoping we wouldn't catch him in this mood, but he's never been helpful anyways so this whole thing was my mistake," Yumichika said with a sigh, and looked at Hanataro as if to coax something out of him. "Ikkaku, take your bald head outta your ass and do something for Hanataro, not me or yourself."

It was Ikkaku's turn to sigh. He pointed to a bruise on Hanataro's cheek, causing the smaller man to stare curiously at his finger. "Exhibit A, he didn't jump so he's not used to being hit by me. Which means my training hasn't been as effective as I'd hoped," Ikkaku mumbled to himself, but then refocused. "Anyways, that was caused when he ducked a punch and fell on the ground, along with the scrape next to it, and on the same side of his face on his forehead. Then for a bruise on his shoulder he also ducked... And... Everything was caused by ducking and hitting the ground, actually."

Hanataro shrunk a bit. "Well, you scared me with your sword."

"It was wood."

"Splinters get infected easily!"

Nanao frowned. "It doesn't change the fact that you're verbally abusive."

"I'll show you damned verbal fucking abuse-" Ikkaku mumbled.

"Ikkaku, remember, Hanataro is going to suffer if you don't speak up," Yumichika pointed out, causing Hanataro to shrink away more and fidget if anyone let their gaze fall upon him for more than a fleeting second.

"Damn you, you know what's going on so you talk for me!" Ikkaku blew up.

"That wouldn't be very convincing. But then again I recall several moments where Lieutenant Nanao was verbally abusive to Lieutenant Iba, and we all know he's insecure. Otherwise, he wouldn't drown himself in alcohol," Yumichika said as if he were recalling something of no importance.

"That's different!" Nanao argued.

"Hanataro, deal with these two," Ikkaku mumbled and started to walk out the restroom.

"See, you don't even care enough to speak up for him!" Isane shouted accusingly.

Ikkaku frowned and left.

"Hanataro, he's a jerk, you shouldn't even be with someone-"

Ikkaku just left, Hanataro thought. He was actually upset over something so small. Hanataro had to admit, there was a little pang of hurt seeing Ikkaku get upset over him. "Why did you do that?" Hanataro asked loudly, causing everyone to jump a bit. "Ikkaku's not as bad as you guys think and he hasn't done a single thing to deserve all of you blaming him! In fact, all he's done since we got together is try to make me smile or laugh, with that dance he does and coming here just to help out and – and – and... You're a bunch of... Stupid heads!"

"Stupid heads?" Yumichika asked skeptically.

"I'll work on something better later!" Hanataro shouted and left the bathroom in pursuit of Ikkaku, though he wasn't above coming back if he thought of a better insult.

Yumichika waited until Hanataro was well out of earshot, then smiled at the two girls. "Thanks for your help. Hanataro's showing real progress, isn't he?"

"You staged that whole thing?" Nanao asked in disbelief, thinking if he wasn't such a slob she might have developed respect for them in that moment.

"Well, so long as you believe I did, I did." Yumichika smirked.

"Dumb luck that it turned out this way? Really?" Isane raised an eyebrow.

Yumichika shrugged. "Kind of."

"Kind of?" She repeated.

"Oh, Lieutenant, don't be so angry. It's dumb luck because Ikkaku was involved and he has the uncanny ability to ruin everything, but for the most part I brought you guys here so you'd tell Captain Unohana to cool down about the relationship, okay?"

Nanao frowned. "How did you know about my agreement?"

"Yeah, we never told you about Captain!" Isane put her hands on her hips and glared at the beauty.

"Well, let me put it this way: Somewhere my Lieutenant is eating ten times her own weight in candy. And let's leave it at that, okay?"

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And that's Yumichika's secret to all the knowledge in Seireitei.

I feel for Ikkaku in this chapter. I know what it's like when you ask for a tool and you do not get the damn tool. I cannot stand that feeling. If I ever ask for a key to a car's tire so I can get the damn tire off and do whatever I need to do (cough, brake job is all I know how to, cough), and then the person asks what a key is again... Then I'm going to shoot them or myself or both. I'm not depressed or suicidal, and I've only had homicidal urges before the tools thing in the DMV, but... There are moments when my faith in humanity just dies and it seems to have the ability of The Happy Tree Friends, resurrecting itself whenever convenient. But that can't last forever. It just can't.


	41. Chapter 41

Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko are the two servants for the Shiba clan household (the muscly guys that work for Kukaku and Ganju).

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There were two loud knocks on the door before it was opened and Mayuri walked in, coming unannounced as usual, not bothering to even send the secretary ahead of him and give Retsu a bit of a warning. He slid the door closed again, though with a bit more force than required, probably damaging it again. Sometimes Retsu wondered if he wanted to fight others or just wanted to upset them enough to have a vendetta against the scientist? Surely no one expects any favors when the parade themselves around without a care in the world for another being in their path.

"Good afternoon, Captain Kurotsuchi," Retsu said in her calm and pretty voice without looking up from some paperwork she had on her desk.

"I did as you asked, I protected Hanataro, so-"

"He didn't relay the message of you protecting him," Retsu instantly cut off, and Mayuri found a seat which he plopped himself on unceremoniously, scowling at his self-proclaimed rival with mild annoyance rather than actual anger. Normally he had some grace, though nothing to compare to hers, however in private he was rude and tactless.

"It doesn't matter, does it? He came back safe so I must have gotten there to destroy experiment A7-42. It's so old, I don't even use that naming system anymore," he began to grumble. "You can imagine how painstaking it was to create a device to neutralize its perfect illusion ability with all the files being dust-covered and turned over. Nemu spent all day working on the device, and it didn't even activate the self-destruct module in the creature. Then again, she's incompetent so I don't see where the fault is there besides in myself for not creating someone who can do their job correctly," Mayuri sighed and shrugged.

"What does any of that have to do with me?" Retsu asked, putting her brush down, finished with the paperwork for the day now and being without anything else to occupy her attention, she looked into Mayuri's piercing eyes confidently. She did hate it so much when Nemu was referred to as a mere creation of science, though be that as it may she was, she had feelings and emotions as a human who was born naturally would. That, she thought, was Mayuri's greatest accomplishment, to manage to defy what she thought was impossible and make a body so perfect, and to create a personality so real. It's also what she hates about him more than anything, because he treats a creation she would have never thought possible before it was put under the plain light of day like trash, demeaning her for being a being with feelings instead of a drone to do as he said at all times without a flash of true life behind her eyes. If she ever were to become what her "father" wanted her to be, Retsu wasn't sure she'd be able to endure the company of Mayuri at all.

"Of all the people I hate, _Captain_ Unohana, you have got to be the most imperious, backstabbing rotten..." He sighed and shook his head a bit. He spat out her title as if it were poison, and it might as well have been due to the fact that he shared the same title with her. "The deal was Hanataro had to come back without my experiment scratching him. And it did not. I went through painstaking endeavors to destroy all the experiments, and you can imagine how my feelings were hurt. I loved those creatures as if they were my children-"

"Captain Kurotsuchi, I've seen how you've treated your 'children.' Please don't try and plead a sob story to someone who knows better than to listen to it." Retsu took the remark he'd just spouted to be a personal insult.

The members of her division were her children, so far as she was concerned, and she treated them all with the utmost respect and learned a little bit about each and every person, be it her Lieutenant who she would spend hours with just talking, or the lowest nurse who she would stop just to hear how the day was going so far. Mayuri didn't even know love for his cruelty, or at least not love beyond himself, yet he wants to speak of attachment to things he brought into the world so haphazardly, inputting self-destruct devices so he could kill with the push of a button? This man didn't know the feelings a parent should have to a child and shouldn't pretend, at least not to someone who had accidentally acquired such an intimate knowledge of how his mind worked.

"Either way, I wanted to capture the subjects and study them some more, but instead I was forced to kill them. I was in such a bad mood, but regardless I went to lengths to protect a useless underling – forget it." He stopped his rant, which certainly he could have extended for as long as he would be allowed, only because he saw the threatening malice building in Retsu's normally soft and comforting eyes. "I don't need to explain to you that I did in fact save your Hanataro." He spoke of the seventh seat as if he were a bracelet or trinket, not a person. "I need information on how his zanpakuto works, so I can understand why it's unreleased form is so unique, and you need him to become strong. We all win in this deal."

Retsu closed her eyes peacefully and smiled her ambiguous, but pretty smile. The look could mean anything, as everyone who knew her had learned, she could say absolutely anything when her mouth opened. Mayuri hated this look for that reason. She was the epitome of confusing to him because she was so much his opposite, and despite her constant sentimentality and kindness she managed to do just as much as he could with his ruthless methods. He did not understand. The only thing that he did know in this situation was if her demeanor didn't change soon during this visit, Mayuri could already see his temper popping its cap.

What bothered him so much about Retsu's unreadable body language was its innate difference from his own habits. If you were to look at Mayuri, you wouldn't be able to learn a lot about his actual appearance. You wouldn't know the color of his hair, or the shape of face, or even know what color his teeth really were under the golden paint. You wouldn't know his body was nicely toned with muscle, and that his skin was dark. Maybe the only thing you would learn about his appearance was that he had striking yellow eyes, though everyone knew it was only a matter of time before he developed something removable to change their color as well. One thing that you would always know when you looked at Mayuri, though, would be his mood. If he was annoyed, it showed, if he was angry, it showed, and if he was content, it showed, through the paint as if it weren't even an obstacle. Those were his range of emotions and they were displayed just as easily as they would be if a billboard followed him and changed as his mood would.

Retsu showed nothing.

"Remember that you have many stipulations, Captain Kurotsuchi," her calm and pretty voice said this without infliction, so much so that Mayuri's anger at the threat was delayed due to him not grasping what was said right away. Her voice was as if a clever disguise, in which she could spout the most rude things and take no blame because no feeling heart could reprimand such a pretty voice. He hated that voice though. He had a strongly opinionated way of thinking and he decided that he hated when she spoke in that pretty voice as if she were above everything, including even her own feelings. No one was so superior that they should even leave themselves out of their speech, or at least that was Mayuri's belief and main reason for disliking the woman who sat calmly at her large desk in her oversized uniform, zanpakuto set neatly in the corner, portraying calm while he knew she felt rage. "Your probation is already a major handicap, but injuring or killing a seated officer from another division. That could put you back into the prison you came from. Remember the thin ice you walk on, and so long as you keep that in mind, I wish you the best of luck with my seventh seat."

"He is to be at my laboratory tomorrow, at noon sharp," Mayuri muttered under his breath, purposely saying so to go against an agreement they had set up previously for him to arrive the first of next week. He was too upset by the mention of prison to stay for another moment, but while he left he couldn't resist adding one last comment upon the already enraging remark he'd made. "You shouldn't make an enemy of me _Captain_ Unohana. I've created a new poison, by the way. And even I haven't yet made an antidote for it, and I have its complete analysis. There are twelve parts to it, and any antidote to one part will merely agitate the other eleven. Nemu is to deliver it to you tomorrow when she comes to pick up the boy, and if you can cure it then you might actually generate a reason for me to respect you."

"You are very pity," Retsu said contemptuously, though she didn't raise her voice.

"I can't leave while knowing I lost."

"You've lost anyways, releasing a poison with no cure," Retsu replied, implying that he was going way outside the bounds of his probation by just working on poisons.

"I didn't say there wasn't a cure, I said there's not an antidote," Mayuri grinned and slid the door open. "If you can figure that out, then I would be impressed."

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Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko seemed to appear out of no where, making Yumichika jump. "Why are you here, Soul Reaper?"

"It's not beautiful to speak in unison," Yumichika replied shortly. "I can only speak in normal conversations to one at a time."

Koganehiko's eyes narrowed, and his brother crossed his arms across his massive chest, both of them staring intently at Yumichika for a full minute, waiting for the beauty to speak again and answer their question. "I know I'm more beautiful than the normal visitor all the way out here on the outskirts of town, but it's ugly to stare."

Another minute passed, neither budging to let Yumichika into the strange house or repeating their question. Yumichika sighed, giving in simply because he was too impatient to put up with these two any longer. "I'm a friend of Ganju's."

"Ganju would never befriend a Soul Reaper," Koganehiko said, and glared accusingly.

"He befriended Ichigo Kurosaki, who is a substitute Soul Reaper, didn't he?" Yumichika smiled at their surprise.

"What is your name, and we will see if you two are friends," Shiroganehiko proposed, though his tone didn't seem to leave any room for argument.

Luckily, Yumichika's selective hearing didn't pay any attention to the forceful tone. "Yumichika is my name. But he told you he was expecting me, surely. He invited me."

Shiroganehiko's face turned red, thinking that he forgot Ganju's instructions. "V-very well then. I apologize for the inconvenience. P-please don't tell Master Ganju of my rudeness."

Yumichika smiled brightly. "You're just doing your job, don't worry," and with that he bounded into the house, following Ganju's spiritual pressure all the way to his room, somehow going unnoticed by his sister who Yumichika had heard was very violent.

He knocked on the door before opening it, finding Ganju sleeping. "Hey, ugly, would you wake up? It's the middle of the day and it's not polite to sleep when you have a guest over, anyways."

Ganju didn't budge.

Yumichika let out a sigh, and slid the door shut with his heel, going over to where the oaf was lying down. "I'll give you three seconds to wake up. One. Two. Three." Yumichika narrowed his eyes and kicked Ganju in the side hard enough to wake him up, but not so hard that he'd fly across the room and attract any unwanted attention from a certain short-tempered woman. "Hey, the beautiful are supposed to keep the ugly waiting, not the other way around!"

He gripped his side and his eyes shot up to Yumichika. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The beauty smiled and sat at the end of the bed, shrugging to the question. "I couldn't get Yachiru to come."

"What are you talking about?"

"I want you to tell me what's upsetting Hanataro. I swear, Ikkaku always gets himself into the worst situations. If he would just pick a normal person from our division, then they'd worship him and he wouldn't have to worry about so much drama. But no, he has to go off and chose the most emotionally unstable person I've ever seen, who's part of the fourth division. Can you believe that?"

"U-um... I..." Ganju was lost.

"It's ugly to act clueless," Yumichika glared at Ganju. "I talked to Hanataro and he said he met up with you during the riots. Why is he upset? Just tell me and I promise, I'll leave right away. You don't want to stay in my company any more than I'd like to be in yours. Or actually, that's not true. So long as I'm around you, my beauty is all the more astounding when compared to you, but I know that you don't enjoy my company so, make this short and sweet."

"How the hell did you get in here anyways?"

"Well, your guards simply aren't very bright."

Ganju shook his head. "Hanataro's upset because everyone at the scene died, and even if it wasn't like that before we got there he didn't have the strength to save everyone."

"No one has the strength to save everyone. Surely, someone as beautiful as Hanataro should realize that. Great. Ikkaku's in love with someone as idiotic as himself-"

"Ikkaku isn't in love with Hanataro," Ganju scoffed.

"Really? And what would you know about them in the first place?" Yumichika glared at Ganju. Maybe he was right that Ikkaku wasn't in love – at least not yet, but who was he to decide that?

"What, you don't agree with me?"

Yumichika closed his eyes and crossed his arms, pouting. "It doesn't matter if I agree with you or not, you shouldn't say something so bold about something you don't know anything about."

"I don't even know how this whole thing got turned against me," Ganju started angrily. "Why the hell are you barging in my house, kicking me awake after I had to go all the way back to the riot zone to see if my gang was all right, and just got to sleep after who knows how long?"

"Stop complaining, it's ugly," Yumichika said curtly, stopping the fit that he had just begun. "I still don't understand though. Tell me the whole story."

"The whole story?"

"Right. Absolutely everything that you can remember. Then I promise that I'll be out of your hair for good."

"Fine. But just remember, I see Hana as a little brother to me and if he gets hurt-"

"We already have a Captain hanging over our heads about that detail, Ganju," Yumichika sighed. "Ikkaku's tip-toeing on eggshells, he really is, so give him a break, as well as me. I know my beauty is something you simply don't want to leave, but I'm afraid I don't have all day to wait for you to speak."

"Liar, you never have anything to do," Ganju argued.

"True as that may be, it's only a matter of time before someone notices I've left."

"You left without asking permission?"

"Since when should I have to ask permission to meet up with an old friend?" Yumichika smiled. "Just because it's during my work hours shouldn't mean anything. This is obviously urgent."

"Right... Urgent." Ganju let out a sigh. "Wait, old friend?"

"Sure, why not?" The beauty shrugged. "You lived through a fight with me and then helped out my Captain. You can qualify as a friend, whether you're beautiful or not doesn't matter. This time, anyways."

"A good rule of thumb is not to kick old friends awake," Ganju replied lowly and accusingly.

"Oh come now, that's in the past. It's ugly to hold grudges," he replied with a smile, but thought if the conversation kept on like this he would never make it back to Seireitei before everyone noticed his absence. Oh well. Such was the struggle of the beautiful, or at least that's what he thought to himself as he played his part in keeping the incessant arguing going despite his constant urging to hear the story and leave. Who ever said beauty was consistent?

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Ick. I normally don't do chapters with two stories going on in them at once because even as I read over it I get annoyed... But then what else was I going to do? The little things that went on here (leading to big things, but currently are quite small) are too short to be by themselves unless you want me to intimately describe everything. And from experience, this is boring for both the writer and reader. Unless it's carnage that I'm describing, because that's better than any citrus ever. But none of this was even mildly gory, so I skipped painstaking detail to spare everyone.


	42. Chapter 42

Someone has asked in the reviews when the lemon is going to happen, and since that person either wasn't logged into their account or doesn't have an account, I'll answer it here: I don't know. I know that it's not going to be too soon, but I have a few citrus-ie one shots on my computer so if you're that impatient I'll post one of them rather than a chapter on one of my regular update days. Your guy's choice. I'll make it a poll on my profile (because the one person that convinced me to write this little introduction isn't the first to ask that question, but I refuse to force the lemon in before I want it to happen, so a one-shot is the only thing I can do instead.)

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The only thing that Yumichika could think was that Ikkaku and Hanataro were too cute to interrupt. He'd finally gotten back from the extended argument with Ganju to speak with Ikkaku and he was leaning up against a tree in a little used training ground, Hanataro lying on top of him, both fast asleep. A pair of wooden training swords were discarded about ten feet away from the pair, and somehow Hanataro had managed to bruise Ikkaku's jaw.

It was just dusk, and Yumichika knew that Hanataro's body was littered with injuries under his oversized uniform, but he didn't seem to have a single scratch visible on his face or hands. "Hey, you two," the beauty started softly. "Hanataro, Ikkaku."

Ikkaku slept through the call like a rock, which was expected. The smaller man in his arms woke up with a start however, and instantly blushed. "Yumichika, I-i-"

"Don't bother with telling me how any of this happened," Yumichika stopped him with a bright smile. "I just came to get the oaf, so long as you don't mind. He lost a bet with me last week and promised to buy me dinner. Would you like to come?"

The blush on Hanataro's face darkened, and he shook his head. "I don't think so. I should be going to bed, I have to work early in the morning and-" _you're a scary bastard_- "and really I don't think I should intrude. He should still have a life with his friends, right?" Hanataro laughed, though he was a bit nervous. He tried to get up gently without waking Ikkaku, but was held down by the stronger man's arms.

"Now, Hanataro, why would you be so cruel and leave me with him?" Ikkaku whispered half teasingly. Yumichika smiled at the scene, but wondered exactly when the brute had woken up. "You know I'd rather have you come."

_But Yumichika is scary_, Hanataro wanted to say. Instead he settled for a less hurtful excuse. "I have to work tomorrow. I really should be getting to bed – and I still need to take my shower and-"

"All right, all right," Ikkaku said, letting Hanataro get up, then pushing himself up with the help of the tree behind him. "If that's what you want." He caught Yumichika's expectant gaze and then, just to avoid being nagged to death by the beauty, caught Hanataro as he was leaving in a hug and kissed the top of his head. "See ya tomorrow."

The medic blushed anew and smiled. "R-right. Sorry about your jaw by the way," he added the last part without being able to look at Ikkaku.

"It's nothing," Ikkaku assured and then took off with Yumichika.

"You're supposed to comfort him more than that, brute," Yumichika chided once they were well out of earshot of Hanataro.

"I was sweet though, can't you leave me alone? I thought that a sorry for kicking me in the face was completely justified!"

"Come on, you can't tell me that you don't like being sweet just because he's adorable when you are. Isn't that right?" Yumichika asked, ignoring his complaint about whatever Hanataro had done in their training session in favor of smiling at the bald man, who blushed and tried to look away to hide it. "You know, maybe if you had hair you could hide how red your ears get. Until you can grow something on your chrome dome though, you should at least carry a hat so when you blush you can do a half-way decent job at hiding it."

"It wouldn't work with you anyways," Ikkaku grumbled.

"True, true," Yumichika agreed with a nod. "But it's good to see you're making some progress."

"With?" Ikkaku was wondering what exactly that progress was.

"Well, he had enough courage to say no, he gave you a well deserved jab to the jaw and he's comfortable enough to sleep around you knowing you wouldn't do anything to him without his permission. Truthfully, even I didn't have that much confidence in you," Yumichika smiled. "So I'd say, you made progress in just about everything. Except teaching him the difference between a straight or Phillips screwdriver."

"I already gave up on that," Ikkaku shook his head, as if he were recalling a hellish time. "If I need help, I'll call Iba. He's never doing anything important anyways."

"Iba's useless though. You said that before."

"Hanataro makes him look like the God of Tools," Ikkaku sighed. "But that's not important. I though it was kind of cute."

"You hate when people are bad with tools. Especially if they offer to help," Yumichika raised an eyebrow, and Ikkaku blushed again.

"Hey, look, here we are," he changed the subject, walking into the restaurant they'd made it to while talking. It wasn't busy and they were seated immediately, leaving Ikkaku at the mercy of Yumichika again.

"So, you think he's cute because he doesn't know his tools, or just cute?"

"He's just cute, Yumichika, but I'm starting to think leaving money at the table and walking out would be my best option."

"Fine, fine, sorry," Yumichika said with a smile. "I think he's cute too. More like a little brother cute, but definitely cute."

"Don't get any ideas, Yumichika."

"Of course not," he waved the idea away. "I don't like men with dark hair."

"But, you liked Shuhei-"

"I don't like them anymore," he clarified.

"Whatever you say," Ikkaku shrugged and the waiter came. They ordered their food and were left alone again, though this time a silence formed and Ikkaku sensed that Yumichika wanted to tell him something. For some reason, the beauty would never tell a story unless "the moment was right" because otherwise the story wouldn't be as meaningful. Ikkaku didn't pretend to understand what the beauty meant by the right moment, or why he was so obsessive with everything in the first place, but he might as well make a moment right for a story if that was to be the only way to break the silence. "So, where were you today?"

"Did anyone notice?" Yumichika asked, not seeming a bit concerned if he was caught playing hooky yet again, but rather just curious to see if he was missed.

"Besides me? No."

"Oh," that seemed to depress the beauty for a moment, but then he returned to the question. "I went to Ganju's house. He was hard to find, apparently they move around quite a bit and no one had any idea where they were, until I found his idiotic gang and they told me where to go I though I'd never find the damn house. But he told me something about Hanataro that I found absolutely adorable, about his mission."

"He's been so upset about that damn mission that he hasn't even talked about it more than like two words. Every time I ask he gets upset so I drop it. What the hell happened anyways?"

"Be patient and I'll tell you. But no interrupting," the beauty said, and waited until after their food was brought to tell the story. He only got soup, to keep his thin figure as stick-like as it always was, so he didn't have a problem with eating and telling the tale. He spared no detail, and inflated the ones he liked in particular to the point Ikkaku choked on his food at least twice. When he was finished, despite the fun he always had telling stories, he wasn't smiling. "I guess I can see why that would upset him. But him defending you against Ganju. Kind of cute. And ordering everyone around? Kind of impressive, don't you think? It's just not like him."

Ikkaku was blushing, but if anyone were to ask him, he'd blame it on nearly choking rather than thinking about his boyfriend. "Here, I'm gonna go see Hanataro," Ikkaku tossed Yumichika money for the meal and left without being stopped by Yumichika. After all the time they'd spent together, the beauty knew better.

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Ever the light sleeper, Hanataro jumped awake when Ikkaku opened the door, closing it back, leaving the lights off even though it was an hour passed dark. "I-ikkaku? Did something happen with Yumichika?"

"Nah, he's an ass, same as always," Ikkaku said with a small smile, the moonlight hitting him just enough to show how white his teeth were. Hanataro sat up in his bed, his short hair hanging to his neck as he didn't bother thoroughly drying it after his shower.

"Why are you here so late? I told you I have to work tomorrow."

"You slept most of the day after our training, you'll be fine if you stay up with me for a little bit."

"Ikkaku-" Hanataro began to argue, but was cut off as Ikkaku crawled into bed and pulled the smaller man over him, with Hanataro's back against Ikkaku's impossibly hard stomach.

"Ya know, I didn't think of you as the bold type," he started, his mouth right next to Hanataro's ear and his breath hot, voice deep and sultry.

"Ikkaku, what's this about?"

"What do you want it to be about?" He asked and nuzzled into Hanataro's neck, holding him firmly so he couldn't move away just yet.

"I-ikkaku, please stop this. It's – I mean, I-"

Instantly Ikkaku loosened his grip on Hanataro, letting him go. "I just couldn't wait till tomorrow, sorry."

Hanataro sat up, his heart beating so strongly he felt that it would just as soon pop out of his chest as anything else, a blush burning his cheeks and his breath nearly getting caught in his throat. "What's gotten into you?"

"I just... Heard a story and I wanted to see you."

"A story?"

"Well, Yumichika told it, so I don't know how much of it's true and how much of it he made up, but from what I heard you were pretty bad ass on your mission, right? I wish I would've gotten the whole thing from you sooner."

"W-what are you talking about? That mission was a horrible, stupid, failure! I messed up-"

"Did not. You couldn't have saved everyone. You should know that. But you did what you could. You ordered around a bunch of idiots who didn't have any respect for you, and made them listen, and you even talked to a crowd of people... or not people, but illusions who you thought were people and who you knew would rip out your throat sooner than listen. That's... Impressive."

"It's not impressive. It didn't even matter in the end," Hanataro said lowly, and to all eyes looked like he was about to cry.

Ikkaku pulled Hanataro back on top of him, this time facing each other instead of having Hanataro face away, their noses almost touching, and Ikkaku for once dropping his long grin to look serious for a moment. "Don't prove me wrong about you."

"What?"

"You're amazing, and nice, really hot, but you're not stupid. At least that's how I see you right now. You can't save everyone and those guys were dead before you even knew a riot had ever went on. So why would you blame yourself? You sent all the Soul Reapers to a safe place before Mayuri got there. That bastard could have used all those guys to lure his experiments and killed them right along with the monsters he made, right?"

Hanataro never thought about that. "I guess I did, but it wasn't on purpose."

"You saved lives that had nothing to do with the fake rebellion, and those lives you saved will save more lives. So stop whining about how things turned out. Shit happens that you have nothing to do with and you can't take responsibility for idiots that screw up and you find that you can't save them. This time, Mayuri was the one to screw up and kill all those people. What the hell are you going to do about a bastard like that?"

"I don't know. Maybe if I knew about everything sooner-"

"I knew before anyone died and I didn't stop it, so if you're gonna blame someone, blame me."

"Ikkaku..."

"I thought everything you did was really amazing though. You even defended me from your friend. Right?" Ikkaku asked with his trademark grin, trying to lighten the mood a bit now that he'd said all he wanted to say serious about the matter.

Hanataro blushed.

"That's a yes then?"

He nodded and let his head rest on Ikkaku's chest. "Thanks for coming, Ikkaku."

"Of course. But can I ask for somethin' from you now?"

Hanataro looked up at Ikkaku curiously, as if to ask what he wanted. Ikkaku pulled the smaller man up and kissed him chastely at first, waiting for Hanataro to relax before he tried to have the younger man open his mouth. Once his mouth was open though, the kiss became a bit more aggressive, Ikkaku rolling them over so Hanataro was lying on the bed and he was above his smaller body, one hand supporting him and the other resting on Hanataro's side.

In the most nervous and tentative manner Ikkaku had ever seen someone act when they knew they were in control of the entire scene, Hanataro let his thin arms snake around the bald man's neck and actually took an active role in the kiss. Up until now, Hanataro was too nervous to do very much at all, but now he was pulling Ikkaku closer. Exactly what allowance Ikkaku had in this situation wasn't really known to him, but he didn't think with the head that was on his shoulders when he got excited. His hand went beneath the man's body, grabbing his ass firmly.

Oops.

Hanataro broke the kiss nervously, thinking correctly that Ikkaku was getting the wrong idea. His face was red and he looked down at the floor, hoping Ikkaku would take the hint without him having to say anything.

And even though Ikkaku didn't want to, he took the hint and moved his hand. "Sorry, Hanataro," Ikkaku apologized weakly.

"I-it was my fault," he replied lowly. "Don't say sorry-"

"No, I'm pretty sure that was my hand and therefore my fault," Ikkaku started, not wanting to take the blame but not considering for a single moment to let Hanataro take it instead. "I'll go back to my room, and see you tomorrow?" Ikkaku looked hopefully at Hanataro, not being sure how big of a mistake he'd made and trying to judge by how Hanataro looked to see how much trouble he was in.

The medic noticed what he was doing and felt kind of guilty. Not really for a reason, because he had done what Ikkaku had always told him to do – speak up. But he felt guilty anyways. "Ikkaku, you don't have to leave."

"I know I don't have to. Hanataro, I know, okay? I've never had to do anything with you 'cause you don't make me do anything and I really like that about you, but sometimes you should worry a little less about everyone else and consider what you want. I'm not tellin' ya to be selfish, just, you don't even seem to care about what you need at all," Ikkaku tried for a bit to look into the younger man's eyes but Hanataro was staring at his boyfriend as if Ikkaku was slaughtering a bunch of orphans, so he had to avert his eyes. "Anyways, I-"

"I like it better when you're here," Hanataro said lowly. "And I don't care if you think I'm being weak when I say that. I want you to stay."

Ikkaku waited for a moment before he smiled and let out a small sigh."Then it looks like I'm staying, though next time, lets set out the rules first. I can't read your mind, ya know."

"Yeah, sorry-"

Ikkaku cleared his throat at the word, a new habit he developed each time Hanataro said the word out of turn.

"Um... I mean, okay. We'll do that then."

"Good," Ikkaku grinned and laid down, pulling Hanataro close to him.

"Um, let's just lie down and not do anything."

"Hm?"

"Isn't that what you wanted? Me to tell you what I wanted?"

"Yeah, but when you put it like that, it sounds weird."

"Sorry."

Ikkaku cleared his throat again.

"Come on, don't I ever get a break with you?"

"Nope," Ikkaku answered and Hanataro could practically hear the grin in his boyfriend's voice.

"You're impossible."

"Sometimes I think I should be the one saying that to you."

"No way!" Hanataro answered and elbowed Ikkaku, though not hard enough to do so much as knock his breath away.

"Hey, hey! See, this is abuse!" Ikkaku said without missing a beat, not affected in the least by the blow. "Why don't I have as many people as you do to protect me from this sort of thing?"

"Because you deserved that," Hanataro smiled and fell asleep with that.

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	43. Chapter 43

Sorry this chapter took so long, I lost it. I seriously lost this chapter, and I'm not sure how. I thought that you had to be a special kind of stupid to do something like that, but yeah. Anyways, I had to scour my e-mail to find it, and I'm too lazy to delete my signature from the message I got this from. So, enjoy, I guess.

The greatest lies of all time:  
>-I love you<br>-This won't hurt a bit  
>-The cheque's in the mail<br>-I was just going to call you  
>-I swear I won't come in your mouth<br>-Of course I'll respect you in the morning  
>-We have a really challenging assignment for you<br>-I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you

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How is he strong even when he sleeps? Hanataro tried to pry himself out of Ikkaku's arms for a good ten minutes before gave up that approach and instead tried to wake him up. "Ikkaku, Ikkaku, Ikkaku!" Nothing. He didn't even stir. What could Hanataro possibly say? "Um, Ikkaku, could you wake up? Sorry but-"

"Why are you apologizing at this damned hour? The sun isn't even up yet."

Well, that wasn't a surprise, though it did make Hanataro wonder how the man's mind worked the same whether he slept or was wide awake. "Ikkaku, I need to get up."

"Then get up."

Hanataro pushed on Ikkaku's arms that were stronger than he could ever hope to be even while the man was still too tired to demonstrate that getting up wasn't so simple. They were wrapped around his small frame and he had exhausted all the energy he could muster so early already at prying them off. "You're in the way."

"That's not a very nice thing to say," Ikkaku held Hanataro closer for a moment before letting go of him and turning around on the bed. "Oh well. You're just a mean person I guess."

"I-i am not!"

"It was a joke," Ikkaku mumbled and yawned. "How the hell do you get up this early without an alarm clock?"

"Circadian rhythm." Hanataro answered simply.

"Mmm hmm." Ikkaku pretended he understood for a minute before he revealed his ignorance. "What's that, Latin or something?"

"No..."

"What then?"

"It just means that my body is used to waking up at this time and I wake up at the right time automatically. The same should be true for most people who are used to waking up at a certain time."

"I let the sun do my waking up," Ikkaku replied with a yawn. "Or else I'd have to use that weird bug to describe why I wake up."

"You're thinking of a cicada."

"And?"

Hanataro laughed harder than he remembered since the first time he'd seen Ikkaku's famous lucky dance. "Ikkaku, you're hilarious."

"I'm not sure what I did," Ikkaku sat up and looked at Hanataro. "As long as it didn't get me in trouble again, I guess it's all right."

"Just lay back down, I'm going to be leaving soon."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Ikkaku replied and lay down. About twenty minutes later, Hanataro came by and covered him with blankets, thinking that he'd already fallen asleep and sat on the edge of the bed while putting on his sandals.

"You're going to catch a cold if you sleep like that. Do you always worry everyone? Yumichika was telling me how sometimes he thought that you went out of your way just to cause everyone else to think about you. I think that's more his thing though. Maybe I'll tell you when you're awake how much I appreciate all the help...? No, actually, I don't think so. You'd laugh and tell me that you haven't even done anything," Hanataro chuckled a bit, the fondness he felt showing plainly in his voice. "But I wanted to thank you anyways. I'll think of something special to do." Hanataro got off the bed and gathered all the things he'd need for work and stopped by the bed again before he left to kiss Ikkaku on the cheek, then left without another word.

"Hmm," Ikkaku hummed once he heard the door close. "I wonder what that thanks will be..."

_Ikkaku, you really can't think of anything romantic besides sex. Or do you just chose not to?_

"Stupid Yumichika. Useless, stupid, why is it your voice yelling at me? Hypocrite. Don't think I forgot your idea of a first date. Bastard, I wasn't even thinking about that... Okay, I was, but it wasn't the only thing I was thinking of so give me a break," he yawned and fell asleep before perpetuating the argument between a voice in his head and himself. Sure, no one accused him of being sane, but he was too tired to argue with crazy, whether it's his crazy or not.

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"Mr. Yamada," Nemu greeted Hanataro half way to work, coming from the direction of the main hospital, which Hanataro thought was a bit strange until she continued. "I was told to tell you that by noon you are expected to be at Captain Kurotsuchi's main laboratory. If there's no pressing matter you must attend to, I will show you where it is you are expected to be."

"W-what?" Kurotsuchi? As in the painted science freak, Kurotsuchi? Of course it's the painted science freak, there's no one else named Kurotsuchi that's a Captain.

"I apologize," she said in her monotone and unapologetic voice, though her soft green eyes made any human with a heart forgive her the instant those words were uttered. "Your Captain has not yet told you the nature of the visit. She will explain more thoroughly than this, but you should know that no harm is to come to you while you stay at the twelfth division." Hanataro still didn't relax. "He's under probation and it would be bad for him if you were to report unorthodox methods that were employed during your visit."

"I was supposed to clean the-"

"Your duties are being given to me to handle. The underground passage ways are already clean."

Hanataro felt bad for a moment that she was given his work, but it was expected that Mayuri would volunteer her to do it. That way not a single complaint could arise in defense of Retsu's own division because no more strain than normal would fall on the members. Nemu seemed to see his sympathy and said in her pretty, but unfeeling voice a few reassuring words. "It didn't take more than an hour out of my day, and I didn't mind the work. I'm very strong, so I wasn't hurt in the least and I had quite a bit of fun – like when I would dig the tunnels for President Kusajishi at the Kuchiki Manor," she offered an empty smile and took her leave, knowing Hanataro had to see his captain instead of going with her.

If there was one word to describe Nemu, it would certainly be melancholy. Just sad didn't scratch the surface as to how upset she seemed to be at all times. Depressed didn't even do the kind of expression she wore justice, and even a word so strong as melancholy seemed to fall short of describing the depth of her unhappiness. Maybe Hanataro would try to make her happy if he really was to go to the twelfth division, but if he were to attempt that then chances were he'd upset her father.

Her scary father.

If Nemu was melancholy, then Mayuri was macabre. Why couldn't people just be kind of sad, or maybe just a little dark? Why did they have to embody something so completely? There was no middle ground in Seireitei, at least not so far as Hanataro had seen. Was that just a part of living so long? For your traits to start to own you instead of the other way around?

Hanataro knew he surely wasn't one to complain about extreme personalities. He was the epitome of clumsy kindness, just as Ikkaku was the embodiment of overconfidence. No time to be thinking about that, though. He had more to worry about. Like Mayuri, and his Captain, and how he got on Karma's bad side in the first place.

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Once he got to the main hospital where he always reported for work, Hanataro went straight to his Captain's office. The secretary wasn't surprised to see him, and allowed him to see Retsu after only a few minutes in which she wanted to speak about a complaint regarding one of the members in his relief squad. After she had told Hanataro all she wished to tell him, she sent him into Retsu's office.

"C-captain, I saw Lieutenant Nemu-"

"So soon? Hanataro, please let me explain," she seemed as if she were genuinely distressed by something, though he doubted at first it had anything to do with him. Her voice was always soft and calm, but there was an air of apology in it today as if she was making mistakes left and right, just trying to keep up with all her reasons and excuses enough to vindicate herself. Hanataro knew that tone intimately because he used it on a semi-daily basis (until Ikkaku had made sure to tell him he wouldn't put up with the tone, anyways), but he'd never heard that inflection in his Captain's voice. So far as he was concerned, she walked on water and only knew what a mistake was because others made them. For a moment he wanted to take her to a room and check her temperature. "Really, you weren't supposed to go until next week and I was going to tell you today, but Captain Kurotsuchi was insistent about you coming earlier than we agreed, beginning this evening at noon."

Hanataro looked at his Captain, wanting to speak, but even while she seemed so unsure of herself, he could not speak out of turn. No matter how she meddled or seemed to be against him, he really cared for her and respected her too much to act curt.

"Hanataro," she said softly with a smile. Her large eyes were as deep as ever, like a well of emotion, even under normal circumstances. They were the eyes that you wished to see when you were hurt either emotionally or physically because they radiated comfort and the possibility to heal. If she ever spoke of war or battle strategy she tried to hide these eyes because they seemed to be a mark against her in and of themselves, but now she looked at Hanataro without doing more than blinking and staring. "I know you must be upset. Any questions you have, tell me."

Any questions? He had a lot. But he had habits that made him do as he always did, despite all the encouragement he received to change. He prioritized in his usual way, and he set himself aside without thinking at all before he used his allowance to question. "Why are you upset?"

This seemed to surprise his captain, but she only let the emotion flash for a second before the same foreign apology was painted on her face again, concealing the perfect calm she always portrayed in favor of a light storm of emotion. "Because I was worried about you."

"Why?"

"There are a lot of reasons that a Captain worries about their subordinates. But now I want to ask you why you are concerned about me when I have just sent you off to the twelfth division?"

"Because you don't ever act like that," Hanataro looked down, like a child caught up in trouble would before being punished. "Sorry, Captain-"

"Don't apologize," she said in her soft voice, but for a minute Hanataro swore he heard a throat being cleared, Ikkaku's in particular, in response to his apology. Then he heard Ganju and Ikkaku's advice, to look out for himself every now and then.

"Why am I going to the twelfth division? It's going to be temporary, isn't it?"

"You are going to be able to use your zanpakuto more freely, and the transfer will be temporary."

Hanataro wanted to ask more questions, but more than anything did not want to overstep his boundaries. Him asking those questions solely for himself was – as strange as it was to say – hard, and almost painful. When he spoke like that, especially around those who he feared or respected, he felt like someone punched him in the chest and left him unable to breathe.

"Go on, Hanataro. You have more to ask?"

Thank whatever divinity was in charge of the afterlife that Retsu was so empathetic. "How is Captain Kurotsuchi going to help me with my zanpakuto?"

"He's been conducting experiments on zanpakuto's for a very long time. The one you met up with during the riots was an experiment that replicated Aizen's zanpakuto spirit, as well as ability, perfectly, rendering even Captain's unable to detect its illusion as being illusions. He has extensive information on every zanpakuto in Seireitei and helped Urahara develop a device that forces Bankai to be achieved. He doesn't, however, understand your unique zanpakuto completely and says he will not be able to without having you in his laboratory. I have placed heavy stipulations on his experiments, but if you are to be able to use your sword in battle with any reliability this step is required."

"You're doing this more because of Ikkaku, though. Aren't you?"

She bowed her head a bit, as if that were the one thing she knew was coming but wished that it wasn't. "Partially, but I'm worried about a lot of things besides that as well."

"Sorry Captain," he began, hearing a throat being cleared and the advice of his boyfriend and best friend, he became a slight bit bolder. "But what else is there to worry about besides that?"

"There is Captain Zaraki's extreme dislike of those who can't fight to be considered."

Hanataro smiled a bit at this. Though she didn't want to come out and say so directly, she was pushing the relationship along in her own way.

"Thank you, Captain," he said courteously and bowed. Maybe he wouldn't be looking forward to seeing Mayuri or his lab, but he finally had Retsu approving of what he wanted to do. Protective as always, but approving none the less.

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I'm a horrible person; Mayuri's help with Urahara's research regarding the doll thing that forces Bankai within three days isn't canon, blah, blah, blah. This is cute though, yeah?

I thought so too :)


	44. Chapter 44

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"Yumichika, are you sure this is a good idea-"

"Shh," the beauty put a slender finger to his lip as they continued on their way, sneaking about the eighth division's block quietly. So far they had managed to get right next to the Captain's main office, where for once he was located as Yumichika felt his spiritual pressure emanate from there, without being noticed by a single soul. Okay, maybe that wasn't saying much seeing as all of them were running about with ten tasks at a time, being overseen by the ever imperious Lieutenant of the division, but the beauty and his nervous friend counted it as a positive accomplishment.

"But-"

"No buts," Yumichika answered. "This will be beautiful."

"I don't understand why we're here," she continued.

"Because."

"Because why?"

"What part of shush don't you understand?"

"The part where I don't talk and don't know why we're here? Captain Kyoraku wouldn't approve of-"

"Shush," Yumichika repeated and grabbed her wrist, jumping gracefully to the top of the roof just before Nanao rounded the corner. In a place so filled with mingled spiritual pressure with hundreds of grunts running around, Yumichika and Isane managed to conceal their pressure well enough to go unnoticed as the picture perfect secretary walked by, with a tome that had to weigh as much as she did in hand, giving orders out as if it was just her normal habit as she exhaled. Sometimes Yumichika admired how easily she dealt with her power, being imperious yet at the same time not overstepping her boundaries so much that her squad or Captain would hate her more than respect her. Other times he thought that she was just so full of herself that everyone believed in her power because she never hesitated to flaunt it in ways which inflated small matters and serious things were made into monuments.

Maybe that was the reason he couldn't get along with her? He didn't like her but respected her never the less? "Oh well," he sighed to himself. There was no time to pay attention to a minnow that he didn't come to see.

"Hello there," a voice too deep for Isane said, but Yumichika paid it no more attention than he would have his friend.

"Good morning," Yumichika replied casually while watching Nanao until she was far enough away to let the beauty breathe a sigh of relief.

"C-captain Kyoraku!" Isane exclaimed.

Damn, Yumichika thought.

"Why are you on my roof, if you don't mind me asking you?" He said politely, not insinuating that they were up to no good, but then again, just that nice voice sounded like it was a trap lying in the wait. The beauty smiled a bit at the Captain who sat cross-legged on the roof with his visitors as if that were the only natural thing to do.

"Well, we're avoiding your Lieutenant. I didn't come here to run errands, you know," he replied. Normally he would show more respect to a captain, but Ikkaku and Kyoraku were drinking buddies and Yumichika knew that the flamboyant man didn't much like the formality that came with his title.

"Is that so?" He asked amused. "Then, do you just enjoy jumping from roof to roof?"

"That's a possibility," Yumichika smiled brightly until he noticed something a bit off. "You're not drinking? What did Nanao possibly do?"

"She hid my sake," the Captain admitted sadly. "I have to wait till work is over before I can go and buy more, but such is my battle in love."

"Love with her?"

He smiled. "No, no. Love with sake. Pay attention."

Isane sat watching the two converse like old friends. Never had she shared more than a few words with Shunsui, and even those were obligatory reports, so she had no idea that it was just his nature to get along with everyone, so the scene unfolding before her was bewildering to say the least. She found herself become a little tense, as if Shunsui were just a time bomb waiting for a phrase to go awry before he flaunted power, but Yumichika and he continued talking about sake, Nanao, and eventually the conversation was steered to her.

"So, why would you bring such a lovely lady here during hours in which you should be working?" Shunsui asked with a mischievous grin. This was it, Isane was sure. They were trapped now, he was going to report them and they'd be in trouble and-

"Who's to say it's not both of our days off?"

"I could always check with Nanao, I'm sure she would know."

"Come on, don't you trust me?"

Shunsui burst out laughing. "Not if I value truth at all."

"Then just don't bother with that. It's not like I have any work to do in my division. It's only the first of the week that Ikkaku and I work on paperwork, and we get it all done then. I don't need to worry about anything else, and if I want to train I'll do it on my own time."

"Your division is pretty carefree then? Although, I can't imagine either you or Ikkaku doing paperwork."

"Well, we only have to do a little," the beauty shrugged. "Weaklings get the most paperwork, though a lot of them would volunteer to do the job so long as Ikkaku doesn't 'train' with them. I swear, sometimes I wonder how they make it," Yumichika's little smile he had throughout the conversation grew to a grin. "No, we only do the important paperwork, which really there isn't a lot of, and the ones who are too weak to stand in my shadow, let alone Ikkaku's, line up so long as we don't reteach them the order of things. They all learn as soon as they come to our division that you either kick ass or push pencils. That's all we need, right?"

"Is that why all your new arrivals seem to walk around with limps?"

Yumichika laughed. "Well, that was what happened until we started working with the fourth division. Now they're not staying injured for so long."

"Hm?" Eleventh and fourth divisions didn't mix, and Shunsui was plainly confused. Then again, he should have noticed sooner than Isane was there with Yumichika, but he didn't bother to see that and put the pieces together. "So, did it start because you two are together?" He asked innocently enough.

"No, nothing like that!" Yumichika laughed while Isane blushed furiously, still not speaking a word. "I like to think of her as a sister. I always wanted to have someone with a brain to spend time with and Ikkaku isn't really suited for that position. Besides, I have no interest in women."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot. But surely you see that this one is a special flower," he smiled kindly at Isane, though unfortunately for him Yumichika was an expert at ruining a mood just as he was at creating one.

"Do you have to hit on every female with a pulse?"

Shunsui frowned. "That wasn't very nice."

Isane was blushing madly at the compliment when it struck her. She should have seen earlier what her friend was doing earlier. "Yumichika, sorry, but we forgot to do... That thing. Back with the new arrivals."

The beauty shrugged. "I don't remember-"

"We never assigned the part for Friar John, remember?" She stood and bowed respectfully to Shunsui. "Good-bye Captain," she grabbed Yumichika's wrist and pulled him along despite some protest.

"I don't even like that part, I decided to take it out. All he does is walk to a town then walk back. How stupid is that?" Yumichika complained but put up no physical resistance to her. Once they were far out of earshot of the eighth division's Captain she glared angrily at Yumichika.

"I told you I didn't need you to set me up with anyone."

"Who said I was doing that?" He replied lamely, though Isane answered with a sigh. He might as well have just admitted that was exactly what he was doing, because his eyes flashed with his intent plainly.

"You're trying to give me a heart attack or something!" She accused.

"Would you rather me have found someone different for you?" Yumichika smiled at her shy blush. "Besides, you already told me you weren't interested in taking Captain's bells for his hair and seeing if he could catch us, nor did you want to do anything at all with your Captain. What was I supposed to do for fun?"

"You job?" She said, though realized the flaw with her suggestion before it came off her lips.

"Since when did I even have a job that needed to be done?"

"Right, sorry," she rolled her eyes and fidgeted with her feet, as wells as twirled the long pale locks of hair between her fingers.

"I've got it," Yumichika smiled brightly.

"Hm?"

"The Kido Corps are going to Senzaikyu today aren't they?"

"Yeah," she answered innocently. The mischievous look in those electric purple eyes was already telling her to turn tail and run.

"Time to go have some fun with them, how about it?"

Oh no, Isane thought, but was dragged along to the tall white tower before she could protest.

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Isane made me laugh as I wrote this chapter. She reminds me of an annoying but lovable younger sibling who goes with their older brother or sister despite knowing what they're doing will get them in trouble if they get caught, and half-way through gets nervous and asks a bunch of questions in a whiny voice like, "Where are we going?" , "Why?" , "Are you sure this is okay to do?"

Which in turn reminded me of Trigun, where Vash is that annoying younger sibling (in either the last episode or the episode before) and the most surprising part of the anime ever is Knives gives Vash a gun while he's being a whiny, annoying slobber bucket instead of shooting him with a huge cannon as he should have, and as I might have if I had someone following me through a desert planet and asking questions every two seconds, as well as getting in the way of my beloved plans for genocide.

Seriously... I understand Knives at one point really cared for his brother but I don't understand how you are that patient when you're thirsty and have been traveling for days with sand caking your eyes and the nearest water supply being about 50 iles away. (That's laziness, by the way. Just take the "m" of "miles" and there's their standard unit of distance measurement. Did they think no one would catch on or did they just not care?)

Okay, enough ranting. Half of you don't even know what that's about and the other half are suspecting me of insanity. :3


	45. Chapter 45

Ha ha. I found one of my Clive Barker books (Books of Blood – Volumes 1-3) and opened it to my favorite story (Pig Blood Blues) and a detention slip fell out. _Apparently_ I was in trouble for insubordination (I told him he was an opinionated jackass who shouldn't talk as if he were on some platform above the rest of the human race. I don't know _how _that got me in trouble)and for a minute I felt kind of cool and forgot what actually happened in favor of fantasy, so I pictured me trying to force my Mathematics teacher off a plank on a pirate ship with a dull sword, and a bunch of really hairy versions of my classmates cheering me on, then at the last moment my old principle attacks me and my math teacher charges me with mutiny and puts me in the brig. But I can't help insubordination reminding me of pirates.

Ah... Good times. It was funnier in my head, you know.

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At promptly eleven-thirty, Nemu found Hanataro, who was straightening out a few small things with his emergency relief squad. Until he turned and saw her, he hadn't the slightest idea that she was even in the room, as she hadn't done anything to show her presence, her spiritual pressure subdued and her entire demeanor never doing anything to attract attention. It nearly give him a heart attack to see her standing by the entrance so silently, hands folded limply in front of her, standing erect and staring into the distance contented in waiting for an eternity if that should be how long Hanataro would be occupied, except for the fact that she was required to have him at the laboratory in no more than thirty minutes.

"L-lieutenant-"

"Good morning, Mr. Yamada," she said courteously, bowing shallowly then meeting her eyes with Hanataro's. He'd forgotten it wasn't past morning, being up for hours now, but he nervously returned the pleasantry before being led by her slow, thoughtful steps out of the hospital and to her father's laboratory in precisely thirty minutes, as if she timed her steps to meet the criteria exactly.

It was a little difficult following Nemu simply because Hanataro had wanted to speak to her, maybe just a little small talk to pass the time as they walked, but he couldn't think of a single word to say to her. As comical as it would have been for him to see anyone else walk as focused as Nemu did, it wasn't funny when he saw her act as if her every step took all the concentration of her being. This demeanor did not invite any word unless the communication involved life or death, and even then Hanataro wasn't sure he could squeak out more than a few words.

"Rin," she said in her soft but monotone voice once they had entered. A familiar face turned up to look at her, half afraid he'd done something wrong, but inviting to the beloved Lieutenant regardless. "I would like you to please give Mr. Yamada his tour, while I ask Captain Kurotsuchi if it's convenient to see him at this time."

"But, did he ask to see me at noon? It's noon." Hanataro pointed out.

"He asked for you to be here at noon. Never insinuate anything about an order my captain gives, just do as he says without any more and certainly nothing less," she spoke the words as if they were an ultimate truth, and Hanataro suspected that everyone here would agree that at least in this section of the afterlife, they were as good or even better than any gospel. He nodded his head to show he understood and she walked off, offering to him another empty smile that could break any heart though it was meant to comfort the one who saw it.

For a moment he thought of his captain. Her smile was pretty, and it was neither sad nor particularly happy, but rather it was just there, meaning whatever the one who saw it wanted it to mean. Her face and Nemu's had many similarities, and maybe if someone were to take a picture of their lips and nothing else, smiling their often used smiles that were put out there if there was a silence that warranted the smile, there may be no difference. But there was so much emotion that could be assigned to the empty smiles both of them would always put on when their face just felt barren and needed a decoration.

Retsu's smile was something that could be menacing if she wanted it to be, or comforting if that was her choice, or simply blank as it was most of the time. Nemu's could either be sad, or blank, though the emptiness of it was sad by itself anyways.

"...and if you're ready, we'll go ahead and go now," Rin said, probably the end of a long speech while Hanataro was spacing out about his Captain already. With Nemu around to remind him of the subdued and kind manner of Retsu, he'd probably never forget about her very long, so he just sighed and resigned himself to his fate. Hopefully Rin didn't say anything important because Hanataro wasn't going to start making enemies so soon, so he wasn't about to ask what had went on when he chose thinking about smiles was more important than learning the layout of the place he'd be working for the indefinite amount of time Mayuri is to use studying him like a lab rat.

"I'm ready," he said hesitating a bit.

"Great! Maybe we can fit you with a lab coat, huh?" Rin said with a bit of a laugh. "Lieutenant is going to meet up with us pretty soon as long as Captain Kurotsuchi wasn't busy when she went to him, and even then since he's expecting you it shouldn't be more than ten minutes before she gets back with us. I'll just show you the important things," he smiled and felt at ease with the seventh seat. Hanataro was known for nothing else if not his kindness towards absolutely everyone, no matter if they're part of the first or thirteenth squad or any in between. His relationship with Ikkaku had surprised a lot of people, but Rin knew Hanataro wasn't the type to have any kind of aversion to the brutes of the eleventh division. Maybe Ikkaku's decision was surprising, but Hanataro's was natural.

Rin took Hanataro to show him the only places he would need to know, being the lunch room, and the restrooms. Also, he warned strongly against going to several wings of the building lest something less than pleasant occur.

Hanataro didn't inquire about the places he was forbidden, because he wasn't curious to be let in on the cruelties he and everyone in the entirety of Seireitei knew were permitted under the roof of this lab. He realized that many people, even righteous ones, would want to see the grotesque scenes that doubtless lie behind any number of doors in this building, but he wasn't one of them. Whether it be to end nagging curiosity, or to vindicate fierce hate, people would seek out (rather dumbly) scenes of horror but Hanataro quelled any macabre wondering during his time as an emergency medic and he wasn't the type to seek vindication for a dislike. The only thing he would gain from seeking out horrors here would be severe depression and lifelong scars.

Risking depression with Nemu around spreading the emotion around like a contagion, wasn't worth anything that could be gained from this place, Hanataro decided this before he had to give it any real thought. It hadn't quite been ten minutes since the melancholy girl left to check with her father before Rin, sensitive to Nemu's spiritual pressure because he was familiar with it, told Hanataro she was coming. Her firm footsteps never seemed loud before, but the hard soles of her shoes hit against the tiled floors and the curved ceilings in the hallways echoed the noise, making it seem almost as if something sinister came. Knowing it was Nemu didn't keep Hanataro from shaking at the thought, but he was relaxed to see the woman walk around a corner and come into plain view, he loud footsteps stopping at the end of the hall and she turned her head look at the two instead of walking down to them only to walk back up the hall. "Rin, I would like for you to go back to the monitor room. Hanataro, please come with me."

Rin nodded and headed off the opposite way, Hanataro walking towards Nemu obediently. They walked in silence for a moment before her soft, pretty voice spoke, almost sing-song instead of the boring monotone he'd been accustomed too. "You two look alike, kind of like twins would."

"Y-you think so?" Hanataro had been so startled by the happiness he'd heard in the Lieutenant's voice, he wasn't sure what to make of what she said for a moment.

"Except your hair," she continued in her slightly happy voice. It wasn't ecstatic by anyone's standards, but she didn't use it in a boring monotone or depressing way like he expected. Her smile still seemed empty from what he saw by her profile, but she was attempting to be kind.

"Yeah, his is pretty light," Hanataro agreed. "Has anyone ever told you that you look like my Captain?"

She shook her head. "No, and I'm glad no one has, I'm not so pretty as Captain Unohana, and even if I was, my captain would resent that comment."

Well, so much for the small talk, Hanataro thought. He should have known the answer would be like that, especially coming from someone like Nemu. "S-sorry."

She cleared her throat and Hanataro almost jumped, though it didn't seem that she noticed. "Captain Kurotsuchi, Hanataro Yamada is here. Are you ready for him to come in?" She was asking from outside a large metal door, with a few air vents at the top which were more than likely the only way her voice was getting inside this chamber-like room.

"Yes, child, otherwise I wouldn't have sent you out to get him, would I?" He spat the words like poison, annoyed at the question. Should anyone ever talk like that to Hanataro, he would feel like crying, though whether or not he would should just depend on how far he was from a place where he could do that in privacy. Nemu didn't appear to be in the least fazed by the unkind words. Instead she opened the heavy door, knowing Hanataro didn't have a chance, and then bowed to both him and her father deeply, waiting to either be asked to help in the experiments or be dismissed.

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	46. Chapter 46

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How Hanataro should react to the sight in front of him wasn't something he was sure of. He knew that he wanted to scream, but also knew something so rash would be frowned on by the man before him.

First, the room. It was immaculately cleaned minus a few spots of blood which the painted man had trailed inside from a conjoined chamber. Mayuri was walking out of one large metal door, which had three just like it, though these doors inside the large room weren't as big as the one Hanataro had just walked through. They were of the same heavy metal though, and they had large, lever like handles. Several rolling tables of stable, cold steel were lying about the place, being operation tables though Mayuri must have decided to use them by default, from lack of anything else to be had, because they had nothing on them besides some paraphernalia that was cleaned by someone who might have to be checked by a psychiatrist for something to calm obsession.

The floors, black and dark brown linoleum, were so perfect they must have been cleaned each and every day, disinfected, mopped, waxed and polished to have this perfect sheen without a speck of dust in sight. Not so much as a single spot of dust in the entire room, actually. The walls were a medium gray, the entire room seeming to be designed for long hours and bright colors avoided in case of dangerous eye strain, which many of the twelfth division's members were consistently sent to the hospital for. Mayuri had been sent more than once before he developed his own treatment for when he must work in the rooms which were bright.

The room seemed almost purposeless though, besides storage and comfort being in the design. A small boxed off space which reminded him of a recording studio that he'd seen in a human magazine was off to the side, with some controls and many vents on the inside leading into a wall, but none releasing into the larger room it was a part of.

Blood was all over Mayuri as he let his eyes rest on Hanataro and his daughter. He was removing a pair of gloves that seemed as if they were dipped into a pool of the red fluid. He threw them into a trash bin and mumbled about how he just couldn't wait to get into the shower, and how troublesome specimen 22-01578 was.

Eventually his grumbling and complaining ended, Hanataro still standing though his legs were shaking now, near the entrance of the room. He wasn't the first to be addressed by the scientist. "Nemu! Go and make sure everyone is doing their job instead of sitting around being nothing but useless! Why do I have to instruct you every step of the way?" He walked towards the door slowly, malice and cruelty lacing the curiosity to the point where Hanataro wanted to stand between father and his artificial daughter, though he was just too paralyzed to manage any movement at all. "Do I get nothing but silence from you?"

"I'm sorry, I believed that you would want my assistance-" she began, still bowing, without any hint of an infliction toward hate or love. Her voice was a simple void, spouting off words though they had no meaning in the monotone which gave them to the open air.

"Why would I want the help of a useless girl like you? You've never managed anything right and you think I would let you participate in important research?" His voice wasn't raised, but it was condescending and Hanataro wondered how Nemu just sat there without showing any feeling at all while she was insulted by someone who she worshiped in such an unrestrained way.

She didn't move or speak until she was sure he stopped to hear an answer, which was a few seconds. Her monotone and, Hanataro realized, listless (this happens so often even her patience can't seem to generate a care, he concluded) voice spoke again. "There is no reason unless there are things that need to be done that you don't wish to do."

"Why would I need that? This is important!"

"I don't know, but I decided to stay because I wasn't yet ordered away. I thought you might have something to deliver, or a message to send, and so I stayed."

Satisfied with the response, Mayuri stopped the incessant assault. "Good. You did something correctly. That's certainly a first. You did make sure to give the analysis to_Captain," _he spat the title as if it were venom, as usual for him. "Unohana, didn't you?"

"Yes," she replied.

Mayuri seemed satisfied, though bored as well. "Go and make sure Rin isn't engaging in any of his stupidity! He is always aggravating the workers who I value. Well, value only because they actually manage to do something right every now and then. That's certainly a rarity these days. No good help."

"Of course," she replied, getting up now, closing the large door that despite its girth did not creak, and her dull echoing footsteps could be heard for a moment before they faded completely.

"Now," Mayuri started. "I apologize for all of this, but sometimes I'm too busy to see guests right away." He was apologizing for punctuality? If he wasn't going to apologize to Nemu, then Hanataro didn't want to hear anything at all pass his lips, but how could he say anything? "I always have Nemu see me first; sometimes she's a bit redundant though. It's my fault for not making her correctly, as much as I dislike admitting it. But anyways, I would like you to enter the analysis chamber."

Hanataro's voice caught in his throat when he tried to ask what that was, but Mayuri remembered that Hanataro wasn't a member of his division, or at least not one who knew what they were doing at all so he pointed to the walled off room in the corner. "There, boy, I will test your spiritual pressure as well as the pressure that your zanpakuto gives off. I will then force materialization and analyze the spirit of your zanpakuto. Then, I want you to leave immediately so I may read the data without a bumbling moron such as yourself asking me questions while I work. Understood?"

Hanataro still stood, not knowing what he could say, but still wanting to speak about the blood, and about Nemu, and ask about one-hundred other things.

"Go over to the room now, boy! I have no time to waste, nor should I have to be patient with an idiot anyways," he fumed before he realized the obvious and lowered his spiritual pressure as much as he felt necessary, and Hanataro suddenly felt he could breathe a lot better, no longer frozen in the other man's presence. "There. Better?"

"C-captain Kuro-"

"Go over to the room," he ordered. "I want you to know I'm only being so patient with you because I must. If you were here under any other circumstance I would slap sense into you before I would repeat myself so many times. I've never been met with such insolence as what you possess, and I hope I never will again."

Hanataro now felt as if he should forget about Nemu until another time. When someone so powerful should stand next to you, shouting at you while you know they're capable of killing with a flick of their wrist should they choose to do so, covered in the blood of some unknown creature like they'd just stood under a shower spouting the red liquid... Well, it took away your nerve, so Hanataro bowed lightly and did as he was told.

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"Why the hell didn't he tell me he was going to transfer?" Ikkaku asked Retsu angrily, arrogant of, or rather simply not bothered by her power.

"He only just found out today," Retsu replied calmly, understanding Ikkaku's aversion to Mayuri as she might have reacted the same way in his position. Well, except of course that she would have never shouted at a superior, but to each their own, she wasn't going to get angry at the reaction. He'd actually come by her request to fix yet another door that Mayuri had broken on purpose. The job was done and she felt obligated to tell him rather than have him find out some other way.

"Why the hell would you do that to him? He hates that creepy bastard's guts!"

"I do not need my reasons explained to you," she answered softly.

"I see why you told me this _after_ I fixed your damn door."

Retsu laughed lightly, though she was surprised Ikkaku could joke while he was still so upset. "I'm only not telling you the reasons behind my decision because Hanataro should tell you himself, I think."

"How about you tell me and I won't tell him you told me and look surprised when he tells me?"

Well, she thought. He's funny. He's got that going for him, but she had to think about what he said before she realized what he meant. "No. I feel his spiritual pressure leaving the main laboratory now – go and pick him up and ask him if you wish to know so badly."

"Fine, but I'm not fixing your door again so don't let the bastard break it."

"You won't?" She asked, calling his bluff.

"Why should I, if Hanataro's part of the twelfth division?"

"Because I might ask you, and there's no lost loyalty."

"Why is it that Hanataro has to have you as a Captain?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Retsu smiled a bit. "I've been perfectly kind to you lately."

Ikkaku's nonexistent tact wasn't going to bother creating itself and kicking in now. "Whatever, I feel like I'm married and you're the bossy mother-in-law."

"Is that how you would describe your relationship?" She couldn't help but ask as she raised her eyebrow.

"Sure, no sex, bossy mother-in-law, and I haven't even been drinking lately."

It was difficult, but Retsu waved Ikkaku away and once he was out of her presence she allowed herself to laugh with more heart than she normally would. By no means were her fears dissolved regarding Ikkaku being with Hanataro, she had seen both his negative attributes along with the positive. He was a brute, and an idiot, not to mention loud and careless whenever something didn't go his way. But now for the first time she could see that Ikkaku actually had some things going for him, like being kind and going out of his way just to have someone laugh. He even seemed to be doing a lot to help Hanataro over his shyness, and the seventh seat had never been happier so long as she could remember.

Retsu smiled lightly as she picked up her calligraphy brush and began writing a report for the Head Captain. It wasn't until she was well over half finished that she dropped the brush, a revelation coming upon her that made bile rise in her throat. Ikkaku was going to be a constant in her life, at her hospital, near her recruits and other members of her division. To acknowledge him as a constant, well, it wasn't a pleasant thought.

Oh well. To get there she would simply take baby steps, as well as a barf bag, just in case.

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	47. Chapter 47

Does anyone else get depressed on this site by these cretins who have no standards? It's not bad enough that so many writers seem to go out of their way to make character OOC just because they want Kenpachi to have a fluffy moment (don't do that... Just don't, please) all the time with no breaks because they'll like it better that way, BUT to throw salt on an open wound SOME people ENCOURAGE this. They do. They really do.

I hope these people are covered in petrol, set alight, and pushed into a ditch.

Okay, harsh, I don't want to cause any serious burning because that's icky.

But I do want writers to get characters in character, and I want reviewers to be honest with these people who do not even attempt to create anything doing justice to characters or people who do not care about a plot at all. It's one of the reasons I have a hard time getting a favorites list going of more than fifteen stories. There are good writers on this site, but they are like a diamond ring dropped accidentally in the sewer, surrounded by so much shit that it's nearly impossible to find though when it is found it's all the more amazing because it's beauty is surrounded by filth. Let's skip the sewer, okay? All this bad writing does make me feel better about even my worst story, though. (Being "Perfectly Horrible", which is bad, but I wrote it when I was in the sixth grade and had it on my computer for three years before I decided to spruce it up and put it online.)

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All Hanataro wanted to do was go home and lie down for a bit. He wasn't tired, but he was upset and just wanted to be let alone.

Ah! Of course. He shouldn't have forgotten, Karma, for some reason, hated him.

Ikkaku appeared out of almost no where, though in all honesty that only seemed to be true to Hanataro because he was mentally exhausted to the point that he didn't notice his boyfriend's spiritual pressure. Mayuri coated in blood wasn't an image Hanataro was losing any time soon, not that it should have surprised him. What should be occupying his mind was how he got out with no bodily injury whatsoever, Mayuri using his machine and receiving a bunch of papers. After he examined the papers for a few minutes, he yelled at Hanataro to leave, saying that he should have left already.

That alone was so upsetting that he didn't even know Ikkaku was near until he felt his hand on his shoulder. "Hanataro, didn't you hear me calling your name? Hanataro, hello?"

Hanataro blinked and shook his head. "Sorry Ikkaku," he didn't want to talk about how upset he was, at least not with Ikkaku. Maybe he wasn't right in thinking that Ikkaku would call him weak, but the very possibility of having an unpleasant conversation with Ikkaku would be like for a miner to hack at supports throughout the caverns with his pickax. So instead he smiled even while Ikkaku cleared his throat, and paid no mind to whether or not his sorry was out of turn. "Are we training today?"

"Of course," Ikkaku replied in the same way one would if someone were to ask if the sky was blue. "Why would you ask that?"

"O-oh. Just because I – I mean, I-" Hanataro stammered. He thought he had upset Ikkaku, and that was very easy to do as he'd found, so he tried to think of something to excuse himself.

"Never mind," Ikkaku said, and with empathy that he didn't know he possessed picked up on the "subtle" hint that Hanataro wasn't up for training today. He did, however, miss that Hanataro wasn't up for his company period today. "Actually, if you want I was thinking we could go out to eat."

Not having the heart to say no, Hanataro reluctantly agreed.

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"... and every member of our division and yours is pretty much hated by the Kido Corps now. I really wonder what's going on in that moron's head sometimes," Ikkaku grumbled, his story pertaining to Yumichika's antics at Senzaikyu where he somehow convinced every member of an entire squad that the grounds were haunted.

"I can't believe Isane would do something like that," Hanataro remarked, though really he wasn't surprised. She had the same problem he had with saying no.

"I can't believe Yumichika's that much of an idiot. Though I'm sure that one who called him 'Ms.' the other day was part of the squad he scared," Ikkaku grinned, having finished his food almost the minute it came while Hanataro ate more slowly. "I wonder if he has to look to someone else for inspiration ever, too. He has to run out of ideas at some point."

"I don't know. None of his ideas are very good," Hanataro said, making Ikkaku laugh.

"You have a point there. Besides us."

"We're the exception that proves the rule," Hanataro managed a small smile as Ikkaku laughed loudly again. "Besides, we weren't his idea, just ways to get the Captains off our backs."

"True," Ikkaku agreed. "Did I tell you I stopped by your captain's office today?"

"My ex-captain."

"She's still your captain," Ikkaku replied with a bit of force behind his words. "That creepy bastard shouldn't even be a captain, and you sure as hell shouldn't think of him as your captain."

"You're probably right about that," Hanataro replied lowly.

"Anyways, I think your captain's warmin' up to me."

"Why's that?"

"She laughed at a joke. Or, it wasn't supposed to be a joke, but I made her laugh anyways," he grinned at Hanataro's surprise, though really he was surprised that he made Retsu laugh, too.

"That's really good. Your captain probably still dislikes me, though," Hanataro said lowly. He'd been kind of depressed all afternoon, though Ikkaku had a feeling that for once it wasn't his fault.

"Actually I haven't heard Captain say anything either way for a while."

"Really?"

"I haven't heard him say anything at all to me, though."

"O-oh. So, he's mad at you?"

"Probably. But then again, he never talks too much anyways so I'll just forget the fact that I know he's pissed off until he actually says something about it."

"Is ignoring him the right thing to do?"

"It's easiest not to bother him if he's mad. Once he cools off, and I know he's not mad, I'll talk to him."

Hanataro saw that Ikkaku had a point there. That's what he did with his own captain, just Kenpachi took longer for the anger to cool down than Retsu did. He dropped the subject, accepting what Ikkaku had to say.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing!" Hanataro answered instantly, a bit jumpy, and he would have been less surprised if Ikkaku had thrown a table than when his boyfriend chose to just shrug and drop the question completely.

Hanataro finished his meal, both of them sharing some awkward and stunted conversation throughout the time they spent together before they finally left the restaurant. "Do you want me to go stay at your place again tonight?" Ikkaku asked once they were outside.

"N-no thanks," he answered nervously. To his surprise Ikkaku didn't argue with him, but he did insist on walking him home at least. Hanataro felt obligated to at least clear up any gray area. "U-um... I'm not mad at you, okay?"

"Then what's got ya in a tizzy?"

"W-well..."

"Well?"

"Sorry-" Ikkaku cleared his throat but Hanataro went on, a bit more nervous. "but, I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Think I'm not a good listener?"

"I just don't know what to think about it myself."

"So?"

"So I don't want to talk and sound stupid because I don't know where I stand."

"Yes you do," Ikkaku answered almost a little too quickly, as if the response came naturally without him having to give it a moments thought.

"What do you mean?"

"You know how you feel about things. I know a lot of people think I'm an idiot, Hanataro, but I at least should know somethin' about you. And I know you know exactly how you feel and you just don't wanna talk to me about it."

Hanataro blushed and looked away from Ikkaku, who was looking down at him, both figuratively and literally, or at least that's how the medic felt. "I don't like Captain Kurotsuchi, I really don't," he sighed. "And I really don't want to talk about it."

Ikkaku grinned, pulling Hanataro into a hug. "I got it."

"W-what?" Hanataro blushed, honestly a little upset that Ikkaku was treating the whole thing as some kind of guessing game, and unable to act serious.

"You think that if you tell me, I'll call you weak."

Okay, he was smarter than people gave him credit for. Hanataro looked up at the man towering a full foot over him curiously, looking into his eyes as if they'd tell him the secret as to how Ikkaku discovered this.

"Right?"

"Actually... Yeah."

"If you can put up with that creepy freak, then you have my respect," Ikkaku said, half-teasingly, half-serious. "It's something I sure as hell can't do."

"Ikkaku?"

"Hm?"

"I changed my mind, I do want you to stay over at my room tonight."

"Perfect."

"But-"

"Ah, there's always strings attached," Ikkaku groaned, though his smile showed he wasn't serious.

"I need to talk to you about him – Captain Kurotsuchi. And not laugh at me either."

"You have my word."

Hanataro stared into his eyes for a moment.

"What, you don't believe me?" Ikkaku asked in fake astonishment.

"No," Hanataro asked with a smile creeping on his lips despite him not wanting it.

"Well, what do I need to do to earn your good graces, Your Majesty?" Ikkaku teased, finally letting go of Hanataro to make talking easier.

"Stop grinning like that. You look like you're about to laugh any second."

"I can't help it, this is just how I naturally look," he whined.

"Then I can't talk to you seriously!"

Ikkaku attempted a frown though it wasn't successful. "Fuck it, I'll work on it on the way," he shrugged and gave up, but continued walking to Hanataro's room, forcing the grin off his face on the way.

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	48. Chapter 48

The other day I was telling a story, and the story lead into a questions about microwaves. I answered the question (it being, "Why are there cold spots in food you microwave?") rather simply, but then got carried away and started talking about the magnetron tube which is a part of the microwave, the very part that produces the microwaves (okay, I'm oversimplifying it, sue me) and the girl stops me as says: "I thought we were talking about microwaves? Why are you talking about that guy from Transformers?" (I'm assuming she was thinking of Megatron)

To which I replied, "Silly me..." And then went on to talk about how sleeping with make-up on can increase aging by a factor of three, not knowing that she slept with make-up on and then I was shunned because she thought I was insulting her (though in fairness to her, I don't believe that was a major overreaction because I don't like her and I've made sure to let her know that by telling her on more than one occasion). /sigh/ The struggles of a writer, how it pains me so.

Sometimes I do really wonder about people though. But was I unfair or was she stupid (Or is it both? Because I definitely do not believe in the woman's intelligence to lead her out of a paper bag)? The world may never know the truth.

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The door clicked closed, Hanataro walking just ahead of his boyfriend. "Ikkaku...?" He wanted to go on, it was plain in his voice, but he was too timid, too shy to assume he could go on speaking about his problems though that was exactly why Ikkaku had come.

"Mayuri's givin' ya hell, right?"

"N-no. Well, yes, but-"

"Stop talking like you're a whipped dog," Ikkaku rolled his eyes, kicked off his sandals and went to lie on the bed. "Just talk. Ya act like you're afraid of somethin'."

"Dogs can't talk."

"Okay, if a whipped dog magically could talk, I swear it'd talk like you do."

Hanataro became a little more bashful and certainly not quick to begin talking again after Ikkaku's criticism, which led the man to sigh. "What's botherin' ya?"

"Well..."

Tonight will be a long night, Ikkaku thought. "It's Mayuri, right?"

"Yeah."

"But it's not what he said to you?"

"Right."

"Then..." Ikkaku thought for a moment. "Was he talking to you about something?"

"No."

"This is getting old fast," Ikkaku said, showing his annoyance plainly. He didn't much like playing any type of guessing game, and as much as he liked Hanataro, his patience wasn't endless. He glanced at Hanataro who was standing in the middle of the room, where he had stood since he walked into the room, nervous and fidgeting. It didn't matter how nice Ikkaku tried to be, Hanataro felt like he was walking on eggshells at all times.

A bit of a silence fell upon the room while Ikkaku tried to think of some way to relax Hanataro, and Hanataro tried to work up the nerve to talk freely. The more he felt Ikkaku's annoyance grow, the harder that nerve was to work up and the more he wanted to shrink into the background and be left alone, wishing he'd dealt with this problem by himself as he always dealt with problems. Ikkaku broke the silence. "Hanataro, come here."

"W-why?" Hanataro blushed, more nervous and embarrassed than thinking of romance.

"Come here," he repeated coolly, with no more force than the first time he said it. Hanataro couldn't ever argue, and so he walked reluctantly to the side of the bed and Ikkaku looked up at him with his too severe face.

Maybe that was why Hanataro was so easily afraid of him. His voice wasn't inviting by anyone's standards and his short temper was something to behold, though by no means was that implying anything glorious. Then his face, with it pronounced, sharp features topped off his intimidating appearance, no matter how much he tried to put the fear away. He had a problems with being too easily afraid though. Afraid of saying no, afraid of his friend and superior, Isane, and his captain whom he respected more than anyone, Retsu. Afraid of his own shadow on bright moonlit nights when everything seems creepy.

"I-ikkaku-"

"Is there any way that you could talk to me and _not_ be afraid of me? I thought it would go away but it's not," Ikkaku was staring into Hanataro's eyes and seemed to forgo the need for blinking.

"I-i'm sorry," Hanataro mumbled.

"It's all right," Ikkaku said simply. "If you're afraid of Isane then I guess it's a good thing that you're afraid of me. I try to be nice, but to be nicer than her I'd have to be a floor mat, and then I'd feel pretty bad."

"I'm not afraid of Lieutenant-" Ikkaku's dark eyes caught Hanataro's ocean blue ones and said without words that he wasn't stupid enough to buy that lie. Maybe he wasn't the smartest person Hanataro ever met, but he was pretty perceptive. Either that, or he could just read minds, which seemed more likely for someone like Ikkaku to be psychic instead of naturally empathetic.

"Do you still think my eyes are scary?" Ikkaku asked out of no where, though he was no longer holding Hanataro's gaze, and instead letting his eyes float about the room without particularly looking at or for anything.

The strangest thing was, Ikkaku's eyes were once the scariest thing about him. That, and his smile, but now both were things that he liked about Ikkaku, and not feared. He answered with a small smile. "No."

"Really?" That was a first. Yumichika still said his eyes were scary, though mainly in defense for others he would say that, not because he was scared himself. Still, if someone who was so used to Ikkaku's presence should keep in mind that his eyes were scary then it was strange to hear that the man afraid of his own shadow wasn't afraid of his eyes. He looked up at Hanataro's face to see that he seemed sincere.

"Really."

"What made you change your mind?"

"Well, probably when I was reading the other day... Something was said about dark eyes that I liked."

"What did it say?" Ikkaku normally hated books, hated to read them or be told about them, but he couldn't help but be curious.

"I-i don't think you'd like me to say," Hanataro blushed and nervously shuffled his feet.

Ikkaku grinned and pulled Hanataro onto the bed, pinning him down by holding both his hands above his hand easily. "You just won't tell me anything today."

"I-i-ikka-ikkaku!" Hanataro was blushing furiously, pinned under the weight of the larger man and hardly knowing what to think, because on one hand Ikkaku never forced him to do anything he hadn't wanted to up until now, and on the other hand, Ikkaku's impatience was the stuff of legend.

"Are you ticklish?"

"W-what?"

"I guess I'll have to figure out for myself then," he sighed, though unable to suppress his grin, he tickled Hanataro until he was hoarse from laughter, Ikkaku making himself laugh quite a bit in the process as well. Once they were done, the matter of Mayuri wasn't forgotten but it was less of a burden on Hanataro's shoulders. Any type of happiness seemed to always do well in drowning sorrow, and though it was a temporary relief, Hanataro welcomed it. "Kay, now tell me what this book said about dark eyes."

"Let go of my wrists first," Hanataro said, still giggling while trying to catch his breath at the same time. He marveled at this. He'd never been able to smile if he had something weighing on his mind before, and with a morbid job that was most of the time, however now that he wasn't so concerned, he found it easier to speak. It was easier to think, he didn't feel afraid of Ikkaku like he had, even though some would more afraid at the impulsiveness and strength Ikkaku had displayed, Hanataro was just glad for being given a clear head.

"Now, now, you're in no position to be making demands. Technically I'm a senior officer, anyways."

"Technically, I have more people on my side."

"True, true. That's no good," Ikkaku shrugged and grinned, letting go of Hanataro's wrists and flopped down on the bed next to him. He was glad for the change of topic to something light. He wouldn't let the deal go about Mayuri, but he'd learned a lot in his long life dealing with Yumichika. No book smarts whatsoever, but there was the live and learn psychology that Yumichika had perfected to help them glide through the early days in Rukongai with ease. One of these rules, though he couldn't remember the instance that he had learned it, was to ease into matters, especially with the shy. He hadn't been thinking, so he talked right off the bat seriously with Hanataro, which caused awkwardness.

"All right, the book said that dark eyes are hard to read, like a curtain to hide emotion."

"Why would that make you stop being afraid of my eyes?"

"Because hiding is being afraid," Hanataro said softly. "You don't want to hear me say so, but you hide your emotions all the time and your eyes help you do that, so why should I be afraid of them if they're afraid too?"

There was a long silence and Hanataro wished that he could have taken back what he had said. He was the one who was afraid of everything, so why should he say something against Ikkaku?

"You're the second person to tell me that," Ikkaku said with a sigh, nearly giving Hanataro a heart attack. "Even Yumichika hasn't said that to me."

"Who was the first?"

"Back before I met Yumichika in Rukongai, an old lady took care of me like she was my mom. She said that, and about a year later I decided to leave."

"W-why?"

"Cause I hated someone else knowing I was afraid of things like everyone else."

Hanataro instantly regretted saying what he did, but before he could apologize Ikkaku sensed the feelings his words caused and corrected himself. "I didn't hate her. But I hated she knew that I was afraid of things. I hate when people get to know me, or at least I hated that she knew me. I was too stupid, and I didn't know her, she, I guess you could say, scared me. It was like she could reach into my thoughts any time she wanted, and now I thank her for telling me things I needed to hear, but then I hated her because I could never understand her."

"You understand me better than I understand you," Hanataro said softly. "Does that mean you won't – I mean, that you don't hate-"

"I couldn't hate you. I'm kind of surprised that you realized it. Everyone believes I don't fear anything because I don't let them believe that I would be afraid. If anything, this is a plus. Now I don't have to pretend, at least not to you." Ikkaku smiled, though it wasn't his normal over-exaggerated grin. Hanataro didn't know what the smile meant, but Ikkaku was smiling at himself for being stupid. He was trying to keep from speaking so seriously and yet here he was, confessing his past.

Hanataro remembered how often love was spoke of in the book that had spoken about dark eyes, as well as in many books. How loved changed people. How love was spontaneous or how it was planned. How love could just happen and it could die just as quickly. Some books proclaimed that you could see if you could love someone right away, or maybe after talking with them a few times. That was stupid, because Hanataro didn't know if he could ever stop being afraid of Ikkaku for good, and until he didn't fear Ikkaku he knew that he couldn't love him. But somehow not knowing whether or not your time invested in a relationship should turn out to be anything made it a bit more romantic.

Romance without love was too popular, though, Hanataro thought. He wasn't a unique example of a Soul Reaper, but rather an archetype example of a member of the fourth division, and he certainly wasn't spontaneous person. For once in his life he wanted to somehow set himself apart from the endless "love" stories where lust is the only thing involved. Could he love Ikkaku? He thought he could, but still he wasn't sure. Comfort was something he found in Ikkaku's presence though, and that was the last thing anyone who knew him would say he should be expected to give, though that's what he radiated. The comfort was different then Retsu's comfort because it came from a different source.

Ikkaku had interest in Hanataro, and the seventh seat realized that the relationship is perpetuated more by Ikkaku's desire to "fix" his boyfriend. That was endearing in a way, and frustrating as well, though his wish to help Hanataro was where the comfort came from. He expected Hanataro to change everything though at the same time he acted as if he expected nothing. That expectancy of nothing was the greatest relief to Hanataro because his discomfort always came from a fear of disappointing, and while sometimes that fear arises around Ikkaku it's far less common than around Isane or Retsu, or anyone whom he cares about.

"What are you thinking about?" Ikkaku asked his boyfriend who seemed to be a bit spaced out.

"N-nothing."

"Well, give me something. Saying nothing is boring."

"If I said I loved you, what would you say?"

"I-i..." Ikkaku blushed and turned his head away. "I would say that... Um..."

"It's okay. I was just wondering what you thought – about that. I can't say I love you still."

"Well then, what do you feel?"

"Comfortable."

"Comfortable...?"

"Like I could stay with you and be happy."

"Isn't that love?"

"I don't think it is," Hanataro answered.

"Then what is?"

"I don't know," Hanataro rested his head on Ikkaku's muscly chest.

"Would you be comfortable talking to me about why Mayuri upset you?" Ikkaku asked, using the words Hanataro chose to his advantage.

"I would. Kind of. Okay, I'm not, but I want to talk to you about it anyways. I mean, I don't think I could even talk in a mirror to myself about this. It's something everyone knows and if I were to tell them they would just shrug."

"What is it?" Ikkaku was a couple of paces beyond curious at this point. The most obvious things are the hardest to guess at, after all.

"Nemu is really kind, but Mayuri is so cruel to her. And everything else. I don't know where the blood came from, but when I met up with him today he was covered in blood and he was so mean to Nemu that felt like crying for her because she wouldn't cry for herself."

"You know, Nemu always reminded me of your captain. Is that why you care so much?"

"I care because I hate seeing her look so sad all the time."

"What do you want to happen?" Ikkaku asked, though Hanataro had no answer and didn't respond for a long time to think about it.

"I don't know. I just want everyone to be happy."

"You can't have that," Ikkaku said confidently. "Do you think that Ukitake and Mayuri could both have their way in life?"

"I-i don't know..."

"The only way for everyone to be happy would be to have all divisions turn blind eyes to each other, then on top of that, you'd have to eliminate sadists like Mayuri completely. Then there would still be war, death, famine – these things can't just be fixed," Ikkaku made his reply soft. Hanataro was an idealist, and at one time he had an acute hate for idealists because they wouldn't see anything realistically. That wasn't the case here though, because instead of making him mad, it tugged at his heart and made him wish that idealism wasn't outlandish, if only to make Hanataro happy. "What do you want?" He repeated in the same soft and cool voice.

"When I find out, I'll make sure that you're the first to know."

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Oh, the thing where Hana talks about a book, regarding eyes, comes from "The Pavilion of Women " by Pearl S. Buck. (Personally I think the plot, if you could call it a plot, as well as the ending was shit. And all the stuff about love was gag worthy, but I did like some parts so I thought I would have it make an appearance. That way I get something from reading the damned thing.)


	49. Chapter 49

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There are times in which Yumichika seems really smart, but often these times are proved to be dumb luck, so as a result of natural skepticism which had to be refined to the extreme for her division's work, Isane was led to be very unsure of plans that she couldn't quite see the reasoning behind. It was no little wonder that she was concerned with the increasing outlandishness of the schemes which the beauty put out into open air.

True as it may be, what Yumichika had just said wasn't exactly a plan, but rather something that was happening as they spoke and has been happening since the beginning of the scheming, but Isane was fairly sure that their planning was all going toward taking *kerfuffle away from the situation and not feeding the flame.

"I don't see how turmoil makes a relationship grow."

"What do you mean, Lieutenant?" Yumichika cocked his head to the side, sincerely wondering how the woman should get lost in a statement which he thought was plain and painfully simple.

"You said that all the problems they're having happen around them is somehow helping their relationship grow. What do you mean?"

"Don't you know Ikkaku at all, for all I've told you?

"Apparently not well enough," she shrugged and Yumichika sighed.

"Well, Hanataro's a soft person who needs someone he knows will help him when he needs it. Ikkaku is a person who won't help another unless it's necessary, so Hanataro would think that Ikkaku was selfish if he were to be in the relationship without any problems. And Ikkaku is the type of person who needs to know that he's needed. If his boyfriend were to be independent, he'd feel alienated and grow tired of the relationship quickly."

"So then, Hanataro shows he needs Ikkaku and Ikkaku is there because he needs Hanataro to need him?"

"That's confusing," Yumichika said but smiled anyways. "Though you're right. Well, there is another thing," Isane looked at him curiously, bidding him to go on. "Ikkaku never manages to stay in a relationship because he's a little strange. So long as Hanataro has a chance to get used to him without always around – it should be fine. Sure he can be a jackass, but he's not all bad."

"I still have my doubts about this whole thing," she said lowly, not looking Yumichika in the eye in case her statement would make him mad, though much to her surprise Yumichika just laughed.

"Maybe you're right. They say opposites attract, but _maybe_ that philosophy should left in the science books about magnetics, and not people. Ikkaku and Hanataro could be too different, and maybe this whole thing won't work out, but it won't be for a stupid reason that they aren't able to be together, like captains feuding," Yumichika let out a small sigh before adding, "The divisions are too set in stone, don't you think?"

"Hm?"

"So many people have problems with the regulations of their divisions or the regulations in Seireitei that keep them from doing what's best. If the eleventh and fourth squad didn't fight so much, and have captains that are at odds, we'd be better off, and not just because of romance."

"Then what do you mean?"

"Grunts in our division often can do as well as seated officers in other divisions, so if your division would create squads to follow our unseated members, we'd have a large group of powerful Soul Reapers moving. With numbers, the eleventh division could protect your division's members while they healed those who were knocked down, and your division could make the group nearly immortal," Yumichika paused but wasn't done. "That's not all, though. Shuhei loses respect in his division because of his violent zanpakuto, yet Izuru gains respect for his morbid zanpakuto. The mentalities of divisions are sometimes positive, but more than often they alienate great possibilities."

It was strange to see Yumichika speak of others like this – certainly not something that Isane had seen him do very often. He'd spoken each word as if he'd pondered over all of this for a very long time, but it was unlike him to think of anyone but himself and still seem so absolute in a decision that would only benefit others. He's done that for Ikkaku, but Isane had found Yumichika chose to hook the two up out of his desire to find Ikkaku someone to be with out of guilt for being the last whom he had dated. Simply because of his introverted self, Isane felt compelled to ask, "You're only worried about them?"

"Huh?" She could almost see a flash of fear in Yumichika's eyes, completely foreign to belong to the beauty, but she'd seen fear in a thousand faces and recognized the familiar look.

"You're not worried about grunts or Shuhei, or anyone else," Isane said carefully, to coax the truth out of Yumichika instead of force it. "Are you?"

"No, why would I worry about them?" He said speaking honestly now but at the same time in such a dismissive tone that Isane was unsure of herself when she decided to keep talking. He acted like nothing was a big deal, but at the same time for him to be afraid for a single second showed exactly the opposite.

"Then how come-" she began tentatively.

"Maybe I'm tired of the limitations put on myself by the brutish division I'm in," was his reply. "But the reasons why are going to be my secret, for now. Not even Ikkaku knows."

Isane thought for a moment, noticing how Yumichika focused on zanpakuto for a little while earlier while he was speaking and went on to say, "Come to think of it, you haven't ever shown anyone your Shikai, have you?"

"I don't have a power to go along with my Shikai," Yumichika replied, lying with ease by closing his eyes and brushing off the topic as if it were nothing. Truthfully, he was just too used to lying about his zanpakuto to be caught.

Or so he had thought.

Maybe his beliefs, he thought, were brought on by Ikkaku who had made it clear that he wasn't interested in learning everything about his friend, to which Yumichika returned the sentiment, and therefore he was brushed off when he lied to someone who knew him so well. If he'd paid more attention, he might have realized that Ikkaku knew Yumichika was lying and just didn't want to force the truth out. But vanity has a way of making you believe what you want to believe, and Yumichika wanted to believe he was a great liar as he'd gotten so much practice.

Women's intuition or inept acting on Yumichika's part led to Isane easily seeing through him, and though not knowing the whole story she felt she knew enough to coax the whole story. "So, what is your goal?"

"To merge our division's and teach the brutes in my division tolerance."

"And it has to do with your Shikai?"

"You don't know that for sure," Yumichika pouted. "I don't like the interrogation though, Lieutenant. I guarantee that you won't be hurt by the results, but I can't tell you anything before it happens."

"My captain has always preached 'Know thine enemy', Yumichika," Isane started. "And your division only has one rule that should make you hide your Shikai."

"Really? Am I an enemy?"

"You were."

"Why," Yumichika crossed his arms and continued to pout.

"I mean, your division."

"That's better."

"Stop getting me side-tracked," Isane shouted. "The only reason that you would hide your zanpakuto is if it were kido-type, right?"

"If I lied again you would only catch it," Yumichika sighed and resigned himself. "Yes. And I'd like you to know there are very few people who have ever known that, and only one sworn to silence still alive. Two, now, I suppose. But you surely wouldn't say anything, or else you wouldn't live for as long as you should."

"That's kind of crude," Isane responded, taking almost no offense because she knew to what extent the rule against kido-type zanpakuto went and she herself couldn't deal with those consequences and stay sane.

"Well, if all you have to do is stay quiet, then I don't think that it's much of a risk."

"Now we have to plan for more things," Isane sighed. "I feel like our work won't ever be finished."

"Lieutenant, did you know that humans have an entire field of scientific study devoted to the workings of the mind?"

"Yes, most people know that – it's called psychology. It's small, but we have it in Seireitei too."

Yumichika smiled. "If you pit two opposites against each other than it's likely they'd likely hate each other, and possibly destroy one another. But if you pit them against a common enemy, they'll forget the flaws in their partner and become close through mutual struggle."

Well, Isane decided she could either nod and pretend she understood any of that or ask what the hell Yumichika was going on about.

That wasn't needed. While Isane seemed to be able to pick up on Yumichika's lies, he was just as quick to pick up on that clueless look in her eye and the faintest trace of a blush on her pale skin. "Ikkaku and Hanataro are being brought together because they're fighting against their captains. The new recruits in our division are coming together through a common enemy too."

"A common enemy?"

"Me!" He smiled brightly.

"It was no exaggeration when Ikkaku said you were crazy," Isane shook her head.

"What makes you say that?"

"Nothing, just... No, absolutely nothing."

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*kerfuffle isn't jargon like I normally mark at the end of the chapter, but it is one of my favorite words. Say it. It's fun. It's the only word with a "u" in it that I don't hate (because I'm so picky, I seriously sit around choosing letters that I do or do not like, and "u" is my least favorite, though "o" is very much disliked by me... despite "o" being in my favorite word of all time, "xyloid") But for those of you who are not aware, it means commotion or ruckus. It's just a word of epic proportion to describe commotion. I don't use it a lot in writing because it's special, but when the opportunity graces me and I come upon a fight going on in my home (which is VERY often, like every time I step out of my room) I say: "You, children, stop this kerfuffle AT ONCE!" (I feel like Dumbledore when I say that)

Then normally someone throws a shoe at me which I either dodge or get hit in the face with, then I toss it back because that's common curtsy in my house (though if I were smart I would keep the shoe and stockpile them, and eventually they'd run out of shoes to throw... Hm... I think I just spawned an idea), then the day goes on.


	50. Chapter 50

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Hanataro showed up at the laboratory an hour earlier than he was required the very next day, mainly because he feared if he was so much as a second later than Mayuri expected him there would be consequences. For a moment he thought being so early would be frowned on by the captain as well, because Nemu had always made sure to be exactly on time, but he pushed that out of his mind. He'd rather be early than late. Maybe this was an obnoxious hour, five in the morning, but he didn't mind rising early.

Not surprisingly, he saw a girl on his relief squad walking through the area. Often his group's grunts, though rarely himself, came around here to administer treatment to those who shouldn't be moved. It happened with some frequency and just because it was early didn't change the fact that there was work to be done.

"Hanataro," she seemed more surprised than he did. "Why are you here?"

"Captain Unohana sent me to do work here," he replied. "Didn't you know?"

"Oh! That's right," she let her face fall into her palm, grumbling about her own forgetfulness. "Did you know the new recruits are already planning to get themselves in trouble?"

The sudden change of topic was normal for this girl, as well as many of the members of his division. Nervous habits were as common as breathing. "No, what are they doing?"

"Well – you know Yumichika Ayasegawa, that awful narcissist from the eleventh division?"

"Yes..." Maybe, Hanataro thought he should defend Yumichika as Ikkaku's best friend. Though there was of course the fact that he was an awful narcissist and there was nothing he could say.

"I wish he would mind his own business, like we aren't bothered enough by the brutes under his command. He's been bullying the new recruits!"

Bullying? "Yumichika's never bullied our division – unless you count verbal insults but he does that to everyone."

"He holds them in the recess court for hours!" She shouted, surprised at her squad leader's defensive tone.

"Oh... His play, right?"

"Y-yes! You knew?"

"Unfortunately."

"The new recruits of the eleventh division are being bad influences and planning with our division!"

"I wouldn't get involved, if I were you," Hanataro said dismissively, and walked onto the laboratory where he saw Nemu just finishing some cleaning in the foyer.

"Good morning," she stood from her polishing of the floor only to bow and go back to finishing the exact details. He'd found the one with the obsessive disorder he'd wondered about the other day.

"Lieutenant-"

"You shouldn't call one by that name as if they were your superior when they are not," she said softly. It was one of her habits though so often she went unheard, and was surprised when Hanataro replied.

"You are my senior officer, though."

"O-oh. I apologize, Mr. Yamada, but I was merely talking to myself."

Hanataro didn't want to step onto the floor which was so immaculately finished. His thoughts briefly went back to his conversation with her earlier in which she expressed how happy she was to clean. Now that was confirmed without a doubt, and he thought if he hadn't stepped inside she would have gladly continued her contented scrubbing if her hands fell off. "Why would you say that, though?"

"Please, forgive me. I shouldn't have spoken out of turn."

Where had he heard that before? For a moment, Hanataro saw himself and his own voice instead of Nemu. She spoke differently, more politely though monotonously and she was poised. She wasn't the whipped dog Hanataro was, showing confidence in most things despite the constant beatings she received, but he saw that apologetic air he possessed for all his life in her. "You didn't – I'm not mad."

"I didn't expect you to come so early, but each division has separate schedule's, so I suppose you're just used to getting up before the sun and having most of the janitorial duties finished before crowds start to get in the way. I'm the same," she was finished with her perfecting the floors. She walked with her perfectly paced strides two steps short of where Hanataro was standing, respecting need for space but not being so rude as to talk from across the room. "If there's something you need, I'm instructed to be of help to you in absolutely every way."

"U-um. Well, I would like to help you, if that's okay. I'm used to being busy."

"I've already finished the cleaning necessary – I don't need to sleep so long as normal humans do so I was up early," she smiled her empty, sad smile as if she was trying to reassure Hanataro.

"Well," he began unsure of himself. "What do you normally do to pass the time in the mornings?" Hanataro didn't want to leave Nemu, simply because he wanted to understand her. He knew why she was upset, or assumed the obvious at least. He wanted to know more about her though, and maybe have a chance at understanding her complexity.

He'd actually helped Isane in one of her many projects that her over-active mind spawned, being a program to help battered wives. The problem was overlooked for a long time in Seireitei because of their traditional believes, one being that women were inferior. But as more and more Soul Reapers joined the ranks and moved up, many being women, the awareness of the issue rose. Men didn't stand in the way when captains and lieutenants spoke up as some might have if they were lower officers.

The program was looked down upon for a long time, and many were too apprehensive to even think about joining, and so the most empathetic members of the fourth division, such as Isane herself and Retsu worked to take abused women in, though of course not forcibly. Hanataro had been one of the ones who was very empathetic, though he was asked to stay behind at the facility built for the women and help them cope, seeing as he was too new at the time to go out and do field work.

His time spent with so many emotionally damaged women showed him a lot about psychology that he might have never known otherwise. Most battered women (though often he only dealt with abuse from romantic relationships instead of family ties), would blame so much on themselves and never think of blaming the one who had hurt them. Nemu didn't seem to blame herself, and rather she constantly speaks in a listless fashion, bored as well as depressed. She busies herself, makes others happy and does what she's able to do for anyone, especially her father, though she doesn't seem to hate herself, blame Mayuri, or even seek change. Most would not admit that there is a problem, and if they should admit there are difficulties they would be sure to also give reasons for staying. Nemu admits there should be hatred between herself and her father, though she admits that she doesn't know the reason she cares so deeply.

There surely should be someone who has experienced a lot in the psychological field who would easily diagnose Nemu for what she was, and easily tell exactly what she feels, but Hanataro had no idea. The only thing he knew was that he wanted to understand her.

She continued to smile her empty smile, standing straight and folding her hands in front of her in a limp and polite fashion. "I monitor research panels, check the night workers, because we have members of the division constantly keep an eye on all of our transmitters, experiments, and the like. Once I make my rounds after cleaning the first time, I make breakfast for myself and Captain Kurotsuchi because he normally comes in about ten minutes after I've finished, though the latest he would come could be up to an hour after," she paused for a minute. "My rounds take exactly an hour and a half each day, and if you don't want to wait so long alone then I certainly wouldn't mind you coming so long as you do not slow me down."

Hanataro remembered Rin's warning about certain places in the laboratory, but he didn't think he'd stay sane waiting so long in a boring foyer which opened up the building to all who would dare step in it. And even more than his dislike for being alone here, he wanted to follow Nemu for the purpose of learning what he could. "If I go to slow, I promise I won't get lost," he replied. "I mean, don't let me slow you down, I learn my way around places really quickly so if I lose you I can walk back here."

"Very well," she turned on her heels, letting the smile fall from her lips that instant and began to walk down a long hallway leading to the right-wing of the building. She was so organized, Hanataro thought. Going right to left was what he assumed she was doing, the same way one would read (in Japan).

Her strides were different from when she first led him, being long and quick. Though her pace was fast, she was completely composed, to the point that Hanataro didn't even see her head bob as she walked, knowing that she could have a stack of books on her head without them moving so much as a millimeter in any direction off the crown of her skull. It was hard to ask her to slow down after he asked her not to let him halt her motions at all, but with his short legs, Hanataro had to practically run to keep up with the composed girl.

Several rooms were unoccupied, as she pasted them without even glancing and there wasn't a light shining under the door. The entire first hallway was like this, but as she turned sharply into a second hallway she made another instant turn into a large room with a curtain for a door. There weren't too many lights, and all were so soft that Hanataro didn't walk inside, staying at the entrance so he wouldn't step onto something important by accident.

Nemu was hardly visible, and if it weren't for her bright white obi he might have lost her in the poorly lit room. Her footsteps were quieter as well, as if she was afraid she would wake something.

Two minutes later she was walking out of the room, paying Hanataro no mind and walking past him. He kept up with her pace but before he could ask, she turned into another room with the same soft lighting and curtain door, quietly stepping inside and leaving a nervous Hanataro at the entryway in the same way she had before. He peaked inside, thinking for a moment he saw a light come from one of the shelves, which he had only just noticed to be there, attached to the walls, but just as quickly as he saw it he lost it. The room here was bigger than the last one, as Nemu disappeared behind some shelves, more than likely to check on more, so Hanataro stepped inside ever so carefully and closed the curtain.

The light, soft yellow-green, came back as all light from outside was canceled by the curtain. A sort of bio-luminescent creature looking like a reptilian fetus was in a jar of some type of stabilizing liquid or gel that seemed to enhance the light this creature gave off. A few more creatures close but not exactly the same as the reptile began to light up, softly giving off their own light though most of the room was still obscured. Hanataro waited, somewhat frightened, until Nemu came back around the corner, walking out of the room confidently.

There was no room for talking as they checked several more rooms like they had, each with different specimens, some that could light up and others that didn't have the ability. Nemu took exactly the same amount of time in each room, hardly paying any mind to Hanataro until they turned onto a new hallway. "Those are bio-engineered hollows," she said. "I was asked to explain as much as I could to you so you wouldn't become concerned in anything you see. The light was their uncontrolled spiritual pressure, their forms vary. Each of them are modeled after a zanpakuto, though one for your unique sword has not yet been created. It should be put into motion and allowed to grow by the end of next week. A doll will be made first, don't confuse the two creations," Just as suddenly as she had stopped, she started walking again and skipped several doors before pushing a large metal door open as if it weighed nothing.

Quickly following, because he knew he wouldn't be able to move the door if it shut, Hanataro stepped into the room. It looked as stereotypical as any laboratory you should expect to see, everything immaculate, being so white it hurt the eyes to look upon after the darkness of the hallways and "hollow" rooms. There were many genetically altered Soul Reapers writing down formulas and observing concoctions in beakers. Nemu stood silent until she was noticed, a strange-looking olive colored man walking to her. "No progress, Lieutenant," he said as matter-o-factually as could be imagined, with no infliction at all.

"Very good then," she replied in the same way. She stood for a moment longer, her eyes darting around the room. "You are all to increase effort, Captain Kurotsuchi expects progress soon. Please do your best and take breaks as needed to keep your minds sharp."

"Understood," everyone in the room said, mostly in unison though a few were off. With knowing all was going as good as could be expected, Nemu turned quickly on her heels and stepped out of the room, Hanataro following her.

The next room was much of the same, as was the three after it. A large vault-like door stood at the end of the hall. It was locked from the outside, though there was no complicated code. Nothing was being hidden, Hanataro realized. Only kept in its place. Nemu turned the lock and put her ear to the door before opening it. Once she did, Hanataro realized it was at least five foot thick, and weighing easily over a ton. The room wasn't harshly lit, but it was plainly bright enough to see what was inside the heavily protected room.

Many fully grown hollows, marked by complicated numbers which must have been their names, were in cages. More than a thousand were easily in this room, and they rose to a loud clamor once Nemu stepped inside.

"Silence!" She commanded loudly, and either programmed for obedience or merely beaten into submission, they did as told, slowly but surely quieting themselves completely. "2310-48457, has everyone been fed?" She asked in her foreign, authoritative voice which seemed to only be present here, as she didn't even speak to subordinates in the tone she was using now.

The creature made incoherent noises, but Nemu seemed to understand. "Very good then," her voice returned to its soft and emotionless state. "As you were."

Hanataro expected her to turn on her heels, but instead she stayed to watch everyone for a while. She seemed to be fond of everyone here and stood gazing upon them casually for at least five minutes before smiling and bidding an affectionate farewell to them all. They returned the farewell and once the door was nearly closed, the clamoring began again.

"Those are the fully grown hollows," she said, informing Hanataro. "They are often let out of those cages for experiments, they do not have minds as I do. They are programmed for complete obedience. They do not know pain, so you needn't feel bad for them," she noticed the sadness in Hanataro's eyes and felt compelled to go on. "They are happy to do as they are told, it's their greatest joy, as strange as that seems. Captain Kurotsuchi has programmed these creations to be happy to obey him, and they are happy to do so. In the same way you are happy to make your captain pleased, they are elated to make their creator happy."

"If that's all they are then why did you look so strangely at them?"

Nemu seemed surprised that he noticed. "Because we are the same in the way we are programmed. I have a mind, but my greatest joy is to make my creator happy. It's natural to love what is similar to you, is it not?"

It was strange to hear that for Nemu, for some reason. Hanataro thought if he were in the same position as Nemu, he would have said the exact same thing, and being bewildered somewhat by what she had said he merely nodded and left the issue be.

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(Nemu not sleeping isn't canon, I'm a horrible person, etc, yes, yes.)

"Why are there so many subplots?"

"Because."

"It's supposed to focus on romance!"

"I set the genre as general as well because generally everything happens here."

"I don't understand why you don't focus on the relationship! I though general was just a default!"

"Well, it is. I didn't know what else to put, but by choosing general I have liberty to do anything."

"It's a stupid story and I hate it."

"I like it."

"Well make up your damned mind!"

"That's difficult when you're disagreeing with me at every step of the way..."

"Why is all this happening?"

"Because Hanataro has to grow a lot."

"What about Ikkaku?"

"That should happen whenever I chose to make it happen. I've already hinted at sobriety, and that's growing."

"This is still stupid!"

"I'm fifteen, do you expect _Faust_ to fall off my fingertips?"

"Eh... True... But why is this so slow?"

"Because it's romance, and not erotica. There's enough of that and if lusty teenage girls wish to go read that, they can read that bonus chapter or someone else's story."

"Fuck you! Take your logic and go to bed!"

(This conversation happened in my head randomly, I thought I would share it. I think it's healthy to argue with yourself every now and then, and that's what this was. Though maybe yelling at yourself in your head while pretending that you're two different people isn't good...)

(Faust is a German play that's the stuff of legend, though some translations are better than others. Go read it, it's not too long and if you find a translation that rhymes then you're a lucky duck, because then you can read it out loud to yourself and pretend that it's completely natural. Or is that not good either?)


	51. Chapter 51

Some people argue that Ikkaku is completely bald.

But he has eyebrows.

This is my proof that he shaves his head.

Thank you and goodnight.

(Of course, anime logic dictates that my logic is useless, so there is a counter-argument for all who still want to insist that he's bald. I do not care, but if he is naturally bald... Why does he have full eyebrows? Am I being ignorant somehow? Or do I have a point to take to Tite Kubo and force an answer?)

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"Nemu!" A furious and familiar voice came from down the hallway. Hanataro jumped at the sound of the eleventh division's captain but Nemu stood still except turning towards the direction she heard her angry father call her. He stomped into the view of Hanataro, his make-up on but without the strange hat, or golden paint on his teeth, showing them to be rather white, but carrying the strange almost bluish sheen of false replacements that Akon made.

Mayuri looking so strangely was frightening by itself, and if Hanataro had his way, he'd be hiding behind the inhumanly calm lieutenant. "Nemu, why are my things not in the bathroom as they should be?"

"I wasn't aware," she bowed her head and said without emotion.

The painted white hand of Mayuri rose as if he were about to hit his daughter until he realized she was accompanied by Hanataro. Being on probation and not wanting necessary attention brought upon himself, he lower the hand again and frowned deeply. "Do you know where the rest of my paint, and my hat, are?"

"No," she replied, head bowed still. "You said last night you tired of the wardrobe, and tossed the hat out the window. When I motioned to retrieve it, you told me not to bother."

He seemed to be satisfied by this. "That's right," he mumbled to himself. "Well, I can't let very many people see me like this. I think I liked my previous hat, and find my white paint for my teeth, I look a mess."

"Yes, Captain Kurotsuchi," she bowed deeply before excusing herself, and Mayuri's reptilian eyes slide to look at Hanataro.

"G-g-good morning," he stuttered, brain going to mush under the scrutiny of those frightening eyes.

"I apologize for Nemu's incompetence," he sighed and shrugged. "If this is as far as you got on your tour, then it doesn't concern me. Come, we have work to do, boy."

Without replying, Hanataro followed Mayuri, whose steps were dramatically different from his daughter. They were uneven, going fast one moment and leisurely the next, arms swinging slightly by his side, and there was a metallic element that Hanataro could hear as Mayuri walked, as if one of his joints was completely mechanic. A few minutes later, Hanataro noticed that the large clothes did well to hide weaknesses in Mayuri's self, him having a slight limp and his right shoulder was paining him.

Various experiments on his own body left him in this shape, and Hanataro knew he'd probably been left in more pain as a result of his own scalpel prodding him, but there wasn't any amount of money in the universe that would have Hanataro ask Mayuri a single question about his state. Within minutes, Mayuri used his left hand to open a large metal door, as it seemed the right arm was injured from the way he walked and let it swing without him trying to move it once.

"All right," Mayuri began, and threw a doll which was an exact replica, to size and everything, of Hanataro's zanpakuto's spirit, in Hanataro's general direction. He was listless this morning, much like his daughter seemed to always be. The doll's surface was hard but slowly it was shrinking and deflating in Hanataro's hands, though he had no idea what was wrong. "Put your spiritual pressure into it, you dolt!" he screamed before dragging his left hand over his face. "Forget that, I didn't mean to shout. Slowly start to pour your spiritual pressure into it. Now."

Slowly? Now? Hanataro was confused but did what he was told, as best as he could, by beginning to pour his spiritual pressure into the doll and not asking questions despite his curiosity. Being yelled at always silenced Hanataro into a state of fearful shock.

The doll returned to its original size, and once it did Hanataro looked up at the frazzled Mayuri, expecting further instruction. It was plain to tell the man wasn't a morning person (or maybe just not a people person), and having his daily rituals interrupted, even though it was he himself who had put a dam in the river, had made him worse. He glared at Hanataro's expectant eyes. "Don't you know anything?"

"U-um-"

"Of course you don't. I came early. There I go again, expecting too much. Is it so wrong to have expectations?" He spoke to himself, not expecting or wanting an answer from Hanataro. "Is the doll speaking yet?"

"What?"

"Is it saying anything, boy?"

Hanataro focused on the doll for a moment, since he hadn't been listening he wasn't sure if he would have missed anything. After a silence, he shook his head to answer his temporary captain.

"I see. Well, it's too used to the artificial pressure I've been feeding it here so it would grow," he was speaking to himself again. He walked past Hanataro, putting his hand on the smaller man's shoulders for support for a moment before quickly retreating it. He was comfortable in letting Nemu know his weaknesses, but not this boy.

As he shuffled some papers around on the desk, Hanataro noticed that even though this room was very similar to the one he'd seen Mayuri in the previous day, it was different. In the rush, he hadn't seen the colors were different, though still dark and relaxing. There were pale capsules along shelves, which Hanataro assumed were unmade dolls though there was no being sure, and there were only two doors here.

Mayuri was back before Hanataro had time to assess the room completely, but he did notice that there was a chamber like what he had entered the previous day. "All right boy, do you hear anything?"

"U-um," he focused on the doll again. He heard his zanpakuto's voice, though a little bit deeper. The murmurs the doll was making, he couldn't understand. "Yes, but no words."

Again, Mayuri raked his good hand across his face and glared at Hanataro, though ending the gaze as soon as he had started it. "A few more minutes. The artificial pressure is designed to leave quickly. If you weren't so weak then the doll would already be working at its desired capacity," he sighed and looked through a few papers, remaining silent, and Hanataro just noticed, keeping a careful cap on his own spiritual pressure, though whether it was for fear of Hanataro or just he didn't want to interfere with the doll was unknown. "Now?" he asked impatiently.

"Yes," Hanataro answered. "It's saying... Yes."

"Hopefully this creature will listen better than you," Mayuri spat and tried to lower himself down to look at the doll at "eye" (the doll didn't have eyes per say, or at least it didn't seem to be using the eye that it had to see yet) level. The mechanical joint, which seemed to be his right knee, well as his injured arm, seemed to pain him greatly when he did this. His picture as a mad scientist was complete at this moment, Hanataro thought. He was almost acting fatherly for a moment to this new creation, before his self-induced pains brought him back to reality.

"Are you okay?" Hanataro asked, though his voice gave out halfway as he met his ocean blue eyes with Mayuri's reptilian yellow eyes, him squeaking out the last few words.

"Shut up, boy," he said lowly. "Speaking out of turn may be allowed where you come from, but you're only a test subject here. I wouldn't push your luck if I were you."

"Y-yes sir," Hanataro squeaked and seemed to shrink away.

"Is it saying anything else?"

"No," Hanataro lied. He didn't want to voice what the doll was voicing, for fear that the words would make him victim of Mayuri's anger.

"Yes it is. Tell willingly, or make me angry and I will make you tell me, whatever it takes."

"Stubborn," Hanataro squeaked and took a timid step back, out of immediate hitting range.

"Stubborn? It's saying stubborn?"

"Yes..."

"Cute. It's worried about daddy," Mayuri said affectionately, though his demeanor changed back to harsh after he cooed over his creation. "Tell me, what does it sound like?"

"U-um, its voice is deep," Hanataro stuttered.

"It will get higher as it develops The deep baritone that you're hearing takes less energy to produce. Give it more spiritual pressure."

"Yes sir," Hanataro replied, steadily pouring more and more of his pressure into the doll. He didn't know what was going on, and truthfully he didn't want to know because if he did it would only be a gruesome story that would keep him from sleeping.

"Is that all the spiritual pressure you can muster?" He asked angrily.

"I'm a non-combat unit," Hanataro replied lowly to defend himself, looking at the doll in his arms. For a moment he felt like a wet-nurse having trouble feeding a child, Mayuri being the enraged mother yelling at him to do his job.

"That's no excuse!" He screamed "You don't see your saintly, disgusting captain going out on the front lines, but she's got enough spiritual pressure to blow that Zaraki bastard away if she wanted to."

A part of Hanataro told him to defend Retsu, and while he would've normally repressed this masochistic/suicidal voice, he was too upset from all the yelling to do as he normally would. "You said saintly as if it's a bad thing," he said lowly. "But Captain Unohana is a great person and you-"

"Don't speak out of turn, boy," he hissed lowly. "Do you forget what you are just told?"

"You're the one speaking out of turn!" Hanataro snapped. "Talking about someone who you hardly know!"

With Mayuri's anger growing, his spiritual pressure did as well. It began to lash out and it seemed to grow more and more intense by the second. Before he knew it, Hanataro found himself hardly able to breathe. He had to get out, he thought. He'd die if he didn't get away.

The doll in his arm popped loudly as if it were a balloon and at the same moment, Nemu walked into the room, bowing and carrying the items her father had asked for. The two disturbances snapped Mayuri out of his rage, if only temporarily. "What a waste of time," he mumbled and turned towards Nemu. "Bring me those."

The melancholy that was Nemu walked to her father, giving him the requested items without a word, seeing as he hadn't bidden her to speak, and he left without a moment's pause, Hanataro standing in a kind of shock.

"You'll do well to keep Captain Kurotsuchi placated, Mr. Yamada," she told him after she was sure her father was out of earshot. "please don't say anything to upset anyone again. It's not worth the effort, and certainly not worth your life. It's especially selfish for either you or me to die meaninglessly."

"W-what do you mean selfish?" Hanataro was a bit offended, and still upset from the ordeal with Mayuri.

"I mean only what I said," she replied, turning to leave. "I must continue to research and contribute to the Soul Society, my work helping countless others. You must continue to live so you can help others live, isn't that true? The price of your life includes all the lives you've saved and will save. Isn't that worth holding your tongue?"

She left before Hanataro replied, though he didn't have anything to say anyways. He wanted to help Nemu, but here she stood, giving him advice.

Was anything ever simple? Did Karma have a vendetta against him?

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	52. Chapter 52

While I'm in the mood for ranting, I just want to tell everyone that I sincerely want people who write fanfictions for Naruto to take a break.

Nothing is wrong with Naruto (except I think it's crap, but I'm not complaining about the fanfics in particular because some of them are quite good), but it's by far the most popular. And there's nothing wrong with being popular EXCEPT the fact that the closest to its number of fictions written is less than half. Then the third closest is less than a fifth. I'm not making that up.

Go love on some other anime! (There's plenty, though I regret to say, there's not plenty of good anime. It doesn't matter because Naruto is littered with cliches as New York is littered with filth!)

(But before you go to love on another crappy anime, tell me what's wrong with these numbers)

Fanfiction's top three regarding anime/manga section in terms of stories posted (when I wrote this chapter, which is a long ways before when I'll post it, but the idea's gonna be the same):

Naruto: 280,236

Inuyasha: 100,372

Bleach: 56, 841

_There is something wrong here._

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Mayuri walked into the room calmly, looking as he had before his most recent make-over. The old look of the scientist seemed strange to Hanataro after seeing the captain so often in his get-up, clad in a headdress which hugged the sides of his face and golden teeth. He didn't seem half as angry as he had been when he walked into the room, though that wasn't to say he was completely calm. The reptilian eyes of his examined the room leisurely, Nemu standing at the doorway until she was told to go away. Those bright eyes took their time before falling on Hanataro. "Boy... Do you have any words to say to me?"

Taking a deep breath and looking back to Nemu for some type of guidance, though receiving none, Hanataro hesitantly answered. "N-no, sir."

"I will be patient with you this once," he said lowly, walking past Hanataro to a table filled with files and papers, sorting through them casually. "The correct answer to what I asked would be an apology of sorts."

Whose advice was he to follow? Ikkaku had told him to look out for himself, and he certainly didn't want to apologize to Mayuri under any circumstance. But he thought of what Nemu had said as well. Was Ikkaku wrong in trying to make him stronger if it would result in death? What was he supposed to do?

"Well, what are you going to say?" Mayuri asked, spiritual pressure rising dangerously.

"I apologize," Hanataro replied lowly and bowed.

"Very good then. I shouldn't have to deal with your stupidity much longer. Nemu!"

"Yes, Captain Kurotsuchi?" She asked, snapping out of a reverie.

"Akon. Bring him here, so he may grow a doll. I need you to go to that woman," he closed his fists. "_Captain_ Unohana. Give her a report of all progress."

She bowed and left, Hanataro being left alone with the sadistic scientist. Involuntarily, his thoughts began to wonder, creating all sorts of cruelties that he would be subjected to. It wasn't until Mayuri's forceful voice boomed that he realized he was backing away from the man. "There are many things we must do today. Many things. So little time. If you continue this – this – this," he was too angry to speak. "Stop stalling every moment! You will speak clearly and answer, and stop with your pathetic fear. If you are truly afraid, then you are smart. That is good. You should fear me, because I am the type to be afraid of. But you will not waste my time."

"S-sir?"

"Stop stuttering! You're worthless! Go," he pointed to one of the thick metal doors. "Into that room. My equipment I need is there."

"I-i-"

"Go!" He waited as Hanataro made no motion before he realized the own fallacy in his logic. "You're so small," he said softly. "You couldn't open that door."

"R-r-right," Hanataro stammered, unconsciously taking a few more steps away from the frightening figure.

"Of course, of course, of course," he mumbled to himself, going over to the door and pulling it open with his good arm effortlessly. It, unlike any of the other larger doors, creaked horribly, ready to give under its own weight at any moment. "It became weak. Surely rust hasn't set in just yet," he held the door open with his right shoulder, though it seemed to cause him pain, as he inspected the hinges. "Hanataro, I cannot see without a light. Come in here, three steps to your left there is a switch. Turn it on."

Following orders, albeit reluctantly, Hanataro did as he was told, noticing as soon as he walked in there was an overpowering stench of disinfectant and something else that he could not identify. At least not with it mixing seamlessly with the cleaning supplies. The floor had puddles, though all very shallow because the floor was so even that there were no recesses that any amount of liquid could gather in excess. He turned on the lights, which flickered on from a very low intensity to being so bright that it hurt his eyes. If they hadn't flickered, he might have lost his ability to see for several minutes, he thought.

He wished he would've lost his ability to see. A plethora of labeled corpses laid about the room, the floor being wet with a bluish liquid that he assumed was a special agent which made the bodies keep well in the room somehow, because though many of the bodies were dated for death months ago none were in advanced state of decay. They were, for the most part, humanoid, but all of them had something which differed them from actual humans.

Some had growths of horns, extra appendages, limbs, even some foliage. Some seemed as if they were partially hollow, others looked like they were hybrids of animal and human, some just beast upon beast molded into a single body. There were neatly labeled boxes, tags on each corpse naming them with numbers, embalming fluids abound, as well as ten or twelve sets of surgical appliances so several could work at the dissections at once here.

Hanataro felt as if his time at the riots had only been a poor precursor for this. Maybe the hollow there was inspired by the hopeless and restless faces on these corpses.

The carnage that he'd seen before was disgusting, but it didn't hurt him as much as to see how heartless this was. There was cruel intent where he'd went in the higher numbered districts of North Rukongai, the hollow loved to kill and to create macabre displays that no human should ever think of. But this, to Hanataro, was worse. These creatures had only been given life in this laboratory to die, and their death was documented as research, just like finding a new species of bird would be. Creating these things and killing them was a part-time occupation for the people in this building, and it was a project in which little interest was generated, if Mayuri was any representation of those who frequented this room. He was more concerned with the sound the door had made than all these creature which were sprawled about on cold operation tables.

He wanted to scream, but he could not. He wanted to hit Mayuri, but he didn't dare. He wanted to help these things, but what better for them than an end of their meaningless life? He wanted to run, but his legs wouldn't move.

"It hasn't rusted over," Hanataro heard Mayuri's uninterested mumbling from where he stood only a few paces down from him. The words seemed so far away though, Hanataro was in his own world right now, and as he stood in the impossibly white room, he heard drops hit the already wet floor. It took him a moment to realize it was his own tears.

"Boy, tell me if – wait! Are you crying?"

Hanataro didn't answer.

"Why are you crying?"

Nothing.

"You useless-" he stopped himself. "The scent. It's bothering your eyes. You aren't used to it. That must be it," he playfully hit the top of his head as if he'd just said the most obvious thing in the world. But as he looked at Hanataro, he noticed that this was one of the rare times when he was wrong. "You are crying. From being sad. Why are you sad? These things were born to be put under a scalpel, you should be happy that their purpose is fulfilled! What is wrong with you? And everyone in your division? Pathetic!" The door creaked, putting more pressure on Mayuri's arm and causing him to cry out in pain.

He stepped further into the room so her would be out of the path of the door, letting the broken hunk of metal fall into place. It wasn't his job to fix it. It was his job to study Hanataro and then send the moron back to his motherly captain.

The ocean blue eyes that Mayuri found so sentimental – so annoying, still looked on in horror of the sight. He was too sympathetic. He should have never come here, Mayuri realized, instantly seeing he should have known that the boy was too weak in the mind to see greatness in front of his very eyes, and because he did not understand greatness he became afraid. So very natural for the undeveloped, Mayuri thought.

Oh well, now was the time to be patient again. If only to have Hanataro cooperate, he'd tolerate stupidity for a while. "Lay on the empty table," he pointed to an operation table and went through a few drawers, finding what he wanted in his own time. There was a special syringe in his hand when he turned and a sphygmomannometer, or at least what appeared to be one, being held up between his elbow and body. Hanataro hadn't moved.

"On the table, now," he said lowly, threat lacing his voice.

"I-i-"

Mayuri couldn't take another moment of argument, mainly because he didn't deal with refusal well – or at all. Within moments, he had Hanataro knocked out and lying on the table to do as he had to and get on with his day. There were too many things still to be done.

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	53. Chapter 53

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"You're up!" Rin's bright smile was the first thing that came into focus.

"He isn't injured Rin," Nemu's unfeeling voice said. "He has to get up eventually."

"But it took so long," Rin complained. "His spiritual pressure's low, too."

"We had to extract most of it to obtain its signature and help the dolls grow properly," an unfamiliar voice said. "Not to mention the 77-4343 should only feed on his spiritual pressure until it can create its own."

"W-what?" Hanataro sat up, holding his not because it was pounding, but rather it felt so light that it might float away.

"Oh, it's nothing you should worry about. We extracted your spiritual pressure," the unfamiliar man answered. He looked like a test dummy, with strangely colored skin and horns growing on his forehead.

"Akon, you should explain better," Rin complained.

"Fine, fine," he said, knowing if he didn't concede now, Rin wouldn't leave him alone. "The hollow created from your zanpakuto had to be advanced from its doll form, which won't develop correctly unless it's fed your unique spiritual pressure. Normally being drained of all your spiritual pressure would take months to recover-"

"Months?" Hanataro exclaimed, though his head began to throb dully when he rose his voice.

Undeterred, Akon continued. "However, we left a minute amount of your spiritual pressure, as well as gave you a special supplement. You should have your normal levels back by the end of the week. Anyways, we have your spiritual signature now, so we shouldn't need you for the 77-4343's development anymore."

"B-but, I thought that I was supposed to have a lot of training – with my zanpakuto."

"Oh, yes. I'll be monitoring that from now on, Captain said all he wanted was to oversee the doll and hollow creation. Don't worry, we're not done with you in that field yet," he smiled at Hanataro, and despite his many unappealing features, the smile was sincere and even comforting.

"What's the thing, 77- forty, whatever, what's it going to do?" Hanataro asked, stumbling over his words and confused.

"77-4343 is going to show us quite a bit. Once we study its healing stipulation, we'll be able to remove it as mandatory and make it an option, so you'll be able to attack with you zanpakuto then absorb the energy from the attack and release it with more power," Akon picked up a clipboard. "Judging by the complexity of this ability, it will take months. I've never seen a zanpakuto so strange. Even Captain's was easier to decipher and control, but there's too many elements to this one in particular." Just as his captain did so often, Akon spoke lowly to himself more than to Hanataro.

"I'm going to help!" Rin said happily.

"I was only to oversee your condition until you woke," Nemu said, standing and leaving with a small bow.

"Rin," Akon began, speaking distantly still as he scribbled on a paper on his clipboard. "you up for getting some supplies?"

"Yes, sir!" Rin chirped, ceasing his gaze on Hanataro that he'd held since the medic had gotten up. Akon tore a piece of paper from the legal pad he was writing on, giving it to Rin who hurried out while reading the list. Not even a minute later, there was a commotion in the hallway.

"Watch where you're going!" A deep voice shouted, and Rin ran away shouting back apologies.

Akon didn't pay any mind to the noise that grew outside however, he was used to Rin's constant squabbling and clumsiness. He only wished that everyone else would give the boy a break, but there was no use wasting his breath on grunts who each somehow convinced themselves that they were important or even unique.

So many members of the twelfth division gave themselves credit for things that they hadn't done. They feel as if they're necessary for certain things if they were chosen to be a test subject, and if lengths were gone to so said subject would live, then they started to feel more and more sure of themselves. Akon hated most of the test subjects for their cocky attitudes and on more than one occasion he dismissed especially annoying disposables, though new groups always came with the same cocky attitude.

Maybe Nemu's strange melancholy was seen as overt kindness, as she always yielded to a request and most test subjects were too stupid to see the truth even if it was right before their eyes. Any reason for someone being so sure of themselves would be welcomed by Akon so he could take away the annoying support and have everyone be more compliant.

"Hanataro," Akon began out of nowhere. "How are you feeling right now?"

"U-um. Just, a little lightheaded. And sick."

"Nauseous?"

"Yes," Hanataro replied and tried to focus on the floor, as Akon's casual movements were dizzying to Hanataro and his eyes couldn't take any type of strain by following any type of motion.

"Are you going to vomit?" Akon asked concerned.

"Maybe."

Akon rummaged around the room, though Hanataro didn't look at him and rather still focused on a spot on the floor. In moments he was handed an empty trashcan. "If you do need to vomit, then don't concern yourself with trying to hold it down. Would you like some soda crackers and water?"

"No," Hanataro answered lowly and held the trashcan weakly, focusing on the bottom of it and trying to get used to the new view, his eyes still weary from seeing the change of scenery.

"Very well," he muttered and scribbled something on his paper. "I would like you to eat something within the next few hours."

"Not now, please," Hanataro muttered, looking into the trashcan. He knew very little about the room he was in. His peripheral vision wasn't picking up anything, all he knew was that the floor was dark gray and the trash can had a lighter gray bag. When he first woke up, he saw the lights on the ceiling but not its color. He couldn't remember the color of the walls though he knew he looked at them and he didn't think he set his eyes on anything else. He didn't care very much either.

"That's fine," Akon said, mimicking the subdued voice so he didn't agitate Hanataro. This was a test subject he could like very well. Soft-spoken, kind, and not obnoxiously demanding like so many others. "Could you describe how you feel now?"

"I-i..." Hanataro had to think for a minute. "Sorry... No."

The sentences were fragmented, Hanataro lurched forward and hid his head in the trashcan, retching but having nothing in his stomach to lose. He continued this for nearly twenty minutes, a small amount of liquid coming up but nothing else. It was normal for someone in his condition, but regardless, Akon became a bit worried. He walked outside and luckily a grunt was passing by. He sent for soup, crackers and water, and an IV if Hanataro couldn't keep anything down.

Right after, Akon walked in and rubbed the medic's back as he continued to try to lose what he didn't have in his stomach. Once it came to a stop, Hanataro was gasping for air desperately. It was a sad sight, but Akon couldn't do anything to help but stand next to him quietly.

Rin ran back in the room with hands full of random appliances not two minutes after Akon sent for food, and considering the amount of things he sent the younger man to get, it was very good time to make it back in just a little more than twenty minutes. "Is Hanataro all right?"

Frowning, Akon put his finger to his lips to silence Rin. Noise was only going to agitate Hanataro more, so he left his post rubbing the smaller man's back comfortingly to put all the supplies he had asked for on the counter and go back to the rolling hospital bed that they had laid Hanataro on.

While it was the fourth division's job to provide medical care, often times after experiments, the test subject were brought to one of these rooms which was designed for comfort and they were taken care of appropriately, though many didn't make it unless Mayuri had put their importance on a high level.

Rin stood patiently until Hanataro regained control, and though he was breathing heavily, he managed to speak. "I... Can't eat anything."

"You have to!" Rin protested, worried about Hanataro. He stood next to the bed, watching Hanataro's knuckles turn white as he held onto the trashcan tightly.

"I mean, my body will reject it," he was shaking. "I-i need an IV. Eating won't do me any good."

Right, Rin wanted to hit himself. Hanataro was a talented medic. Right away, Akon went outside and met the grunt he'd sent for food and a feeding tube half-way, rushing back to Hanataro. Seeing as his well-being was top priority, Akon was getting more nervous by the minute even though all his symptoms were normal.

"How are you feeling?" Rin asked Hanataro impatiently, hoping to help him though his questions were only going to worsen the medic's health.

"Nauseous," he replied evenly, trying to steady his breathing. He knew these two weren't any good with medicine because their boss was much more interested in causing harm than healing, and both of the subordinates were important, so they couldn't know more than it would require to concoct poisons. That wasn't novice knowledge, but they weren't people who he felt comfortable being taken care of by. Not if he valued his life.

"Is there something I can get for you?"

"Water."

"How much?"

"Just a small glass for now."

Rin scurried over to the sink on the counter and pulled a paper cup from the cabinet. He remembered someone telling him this room was actually modeled after human hospitals because Mayuri had liked the organization, but really it had taken a while for Rin to learn where everything was. Bringing the cup back carefully, Rin searched his mind for more questions as Akon walked into the room with the IV.

He was relieved to see Hanataro was thinking clearly enough to know how to care for himself in this condition.

Normally when a top priority subject was in any type of danger, someone from the fourth division would be called to help them, but there wouldn't be very many positive things to ensue from calling someone of Hanataro's division here. Many of the members are close to Hanataro, and they would inflate every detail to have him taken out of the line of fire, so to speak. There was less than a one percent chance that Hanataro would die from the experiments so far, and so Akon, knowing the most about the human body was assigned to make Hanataro's recovery go as smoothly as possible.

Hanataro was a skilled medic though, and recalling basic care must be as natural as breathing for him. It was great to see him thinking so clearly, but at the same time that was unusual from all the others who received the same treatment as he had.

Rin hooked up the IV effortlessly as he'd done it a million times, and Akon checked all of Hanataro's vitals, and made sure he was in stable condition.

"Where's Nemu?" Hanataro remembered hearing her voice, but didn't recall what she had said or that she'd left.

"With Captain," Akon answered, finally relaxed enough to go back to his clipboard. "I need to check quite a bit of things to ensure your recovery goes exactly as planned."

"What time is it?"

Rin checked the clock before answering. "Half past ten."

Hanataro had been here for more than five hours and most of them had been while he was unconscious. That made him shiver, just thinking of being here completely defenseless.

"Do you need a blanket?" Rin asked innocently.

"No," Hanataro answered softly. "When am I leaving?"

"If all goes as planned, some time around three," Akon answered.

Hanataro had more questions but he bit his tongue. He was curious but not so much so that he would speak freely while bile climbed up his throat if he opened his mouth for too long.

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	54. Chapter 54

Why is it girls are so obsessed with loading make-up on their faces? I don't even know what some of them look like! It's creepy... But some find make-overs relaxing, so I'll leave it be, I suppose.

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"Hey, Lieutenant?" Ikkaku forced the words out. He didn't want to do this. He really didn't. Dammit, why was he here?

"Baldy!" The girl, who had been sorting sweets on a towel laid on the dojo floor stopped for a moment to jump up and give her chrome dome playmate a hug. She was too busy with her organizing and rationing of candy to keep her attention on him for very long, though. She leaped down as suddenly as she had jumped up, hardly giving time for Ikkaku to react at all before she was doing as he had when he just got there.

"U-um. Right. Uh, Lieutenant?"

"Mm hm?" She hummed, sorting through candy, every now and then picking a piece up and putting it in her little mouth. Yachiru wasn't in the least surprised by Ikkaku's demeanor – he was always nervous when he asked for something. It was probably for a day off so he could see his boyfriend or something.

She giggled at that thought, which further deterred the bald man from continuing, though he had no idea what she was thinking about that made her laugh. He verbally stumbled on. "Well... I mean, you're friends with Nemu, right?"

"Nemu!" Yachiru looked up, craning her neck to see Ikkaku as he was standing so close to her. "I thought you loved Flowers!"

"W-what?" Ikkaku's face went red, everyone who had been training in the dojo stopped and looked at the two. He cleared his throat and tried to sound authoritative. "Back to work, or does anyone need a sparring partner?"

The training quickly resumed, overtime now, at the threat, but Ikkaku didn't calm down in the least. "L-lieutenant, I wasn't asking for anything like that."

"Then why are you wondering about Nemu?"

"W-well-"

"And you're so nervous! You – you!"

"No, Lieutenant. I want to know for Flowers – I mean Hanataro. Damn you!" He yelled at her, the training halting again, though starting when Ikkaku rose his eyes to glare at those who had thought it interesting to eavesdrop.

"What does Flowers wanna know?" She asked, stuffing a handful of chocolates into her mouth.

"Well, he's worried about her. She's always upset – and I thought since you knew her, we could plan something."

"Why do you care?"

"Cause Hanataro's upset about it," Ikkaku answered – though that wasn't true. In his own way, he worried about Nemu like everyone else did who knew her in the least. Hanataro was the reason he was doing anything about his worry, but not the reason he was worried in the first place.

"Aw! Baldy cares about Flowers!"

Training halted yet again, and this time Ikkaku took the girl, her towel full of candy, and his anger outside. Not before threatening every soul in the building that they would regret coming too close before he finished speaking with the Lieutenant though.

"Listen, you brat," he plopped her down on the ground, where she opened the towel that had been made into a make-shift bag to carry the sweets, and began right were she'd left off. "just help me out this once, would you?"

"What do I get?"

"You get a happy Nemu."

"Hm..."

"Hm? What do you mean 'hm'? _Hm_?" Ikkaku fumed at her.

Yachiru giggled and continued to organize her candy. Her brain was working overtime, but if Ikkaku knew that he had her help as soon as he mentioned Nemu, then he'd think she would always waiver so easily, and that just couldn't be. What could help Nemu? Nemu wasn't always sad, she liked certain things, but she needed to relax maybe.

It shouldn't be work. That was what she was programmed to enjoy. It should be something that could help get her mind off things. She was a workaholic and that wasn't good for anyone – besides Mayuri, but nobody cared about making a sadist happy.

"I got it!" She jumped to her feet, tied up her precious stash of candy, then bounded onto Ikkaku's shoulders. "To Yun-yun!" She stood on the broad shoulders of the third seat, pointing in the direction he was facing and assuming that Yumichika would be there without checking for his spiritual pressure.

"What? Why?" Ikkaku looked at her as if she was as crazy as most thought her to be. Why on earth would they go to Yumichika?

"To Yun-yun," she repeated forcefully through gritted teeth. Why must everyone question her genius?

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"No, no, no! Worm's meat! You're supposed to call yourself worm;s meat. You're not funny enough to be Mercutio anyways. Someone else should be Mercutio, any volunteers?" Yumichika smiled at his forced cast and waited, while next to him Isane let her head hang in her hands.

"No, Lieutenant, I'm not going to have her sign up for Yumichika's magazine subscription. She would only catch shit from her weird ass dad, how about we just arrange a spa or something?" Ikkaku was arguing with the pink ball of energy, as par usual, Yumichika noted. They came into the court-yard Yumichika happened to always be at should there be no work for him to do at his own division, directing his believed Romeo and Juliet still as the recruits weren't cooperating at all.

"No!" She bit his head and before the fight got too out of hand – Yumichika had lost cast members to lesser beings after all – the beauty walked over to them.

"Lieutenant!" He said, distinctively different then how he would refer to Isane. "I got new chocolates. Later today I'll take you back to my room and you can try some."

"Really?" She forgot the boring task of punishing Ikkaku for arguing with her, and even forgot what she had been arguing about, in favor of speaking to the one she'd come all the way to the fourth division's hospital for.

"Of course. But might I ask why you're here?"

Oh yeah, she remembered the argument now. "Yun-yun, don't you always say reading your magazines helps you forget about days that weren't good?"

"Um..." Yumichika wasn't sure where this was coming from, or what he should answer to avoid conflict, but then again, if he were to say no he'd be nagged at for hours on end about times when he had said what Yachiru had just accused him of saying. He cared for Ikkaku, but unfortunately not enough to make himself victim to a long nag fest. "Yes, I do say that sometimes."

"See, Baldy? Nemu needs to forget about Mayurin after work and the magazines will last longer than a spa."

"Nemu ain't interested in Yumichika's magazines. Plus, he goes through hell to get those, it would be too much trouble for her."

"Well, then what?" Yachiru pouted and asked, crossing her arms as she had just now seen that the magazine idea might not be the most productive and didn't want to concede she was wrong, or continue arguing.

"How about a spa or make-over, girls like that stuff," Ikkaku offered with a shrug.

"Stop treating girls like they're all one and the same," Isane warned, and Ikkaku shrunk back, not knowing what he'd said to invoke Isane's rage but not caring so long as he got out of striking range.

"Make-over!" Yumichika was already excited. He didn't care for the reason that he was going to be taking care of Nemu, just that he should get to have his way with the beauty was enough. Understanding could come later, or just not show up at all – he needed no explaination. "Yes, yes! I'll do a make-over! That will be great! I've never done anyone with such prefect green eyes."

"You did Captain's hair once," Yachiru chirped, remembering how Kenpachi had given into one of Yumichika's offers as he couldn't fix his own hair – his arm being broken at the time.

"His eyes aren't beautiful," Yumichika pointed out bluntly. "Captain is lucky he has such and interesting personality because he has nothing else beautiful about him."

"That's not very nice!" Yachiru shouted.

"Sorry, Lieutenant," Yumichika sighed. He wasn't sorry, and his voice wasn't apologetic, but he was much more sensible than most of the people in his division, being smart enough to keep his lieutenant placated.

"Meanie," she pouted. "But are you really going to give Nemu a make-over?"

"She'll be beautiful," Yumichika nodded, putting the pseudo argument out of mind as easily as it had come.

Isane shook her head, however. There was no one she would ever understand why Hanataro had gotten involved with the eleventh division. How she'd become so close with Yumichika in the first place was up in the air, though if pressured she'd admit if it was a mistake, it was one she didn't mind making.

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I wrote this chapter entirely too many times.

Normally a chapter takes twenty minutes to write.

This took four hours and then I just gave up and said: "To hell with this! It's not that important, just make something happen!"

To which I replied to myself: "Fine, very well. It's going to be crap though."

And I angrily kept on, not wanting to leave an argument without having the last word: "I don't care! Just get the fucker over with!"


	55. Chapter 55

Glory to whatever atheists give glory to.

Listen, this is bad, and I want ot apologize so much to everyone who actually cares anymore, but you see, my chapters were deleted from my computer and I had three backups which failed (this site, a friend who I periodically sent chapters to, and my e-mail). All of these back-ups died.

Except, I had a fourth back-up which I thought had died, my Amazon Cloud Drive which I stored chapters on.

You see, I had some chapters on there. It's not up to date with the latest chapters I finished but there are some on there, and I totally forgot about it.

I'm sorry it took me so long to get another chapter on here, but when I lost all my back-ups to hold my chapters, it kind of killed my desire to write this story. I had plenty of opportunities to write, but I was so upset about losing everything I wrote that I couldn't force myself to just write it all out again because everything felt like it wasn't as good as the first time that I wrote it.

If you still care, I found about twenty chapters written in advance (nothing like the fifty I had written in advance, but this I think is enough to motivate me write and finish the story). I'll be updating once a week again, and if my writing output gets to equal that, I'll do two updates a week. I've missed 20 regularly scheduled updates so now that I'm no longer destroyed by the loss of all those chapters, I'll try and make those up to you with other stories and once I start writing again, this one as well.

Rin x Yachiru.

I don't know if anyone's thought of this before.

But someone should definitely write about them.

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The more Hanataro thought about Nemu's advice, the more upset he became. He didn't know what to think about it anymore, though when she had first said it, she said it with such supreme confidence that Hanataro couldn't help but take it as a certain kind of truth.

But what was truth, really? Only what can be perceived as such with senses and reason. That said, truth wasn't always just truth. If Nemu thought she knew something to be true, Hanataro might believe that the same thing is a lie.

Many don't know it, but Hanataro is a philosopher in his own right, and he always thought deeply about things. More often than not, he would keep his opinions to himself, and he certainly would never pontificate to anyone, not even Ikkaku. He'd been thinking about what Nemu had told him, how he should keep Mayuri happy and how it would be selfish of him to die meaninglessly.

However, his thoughts wouldn't stay on the subject because he couldn't decide one way or the other if Nemu was right. Instead, his mind chose on its own accord to think of how selfish it is to label things as right or wrong, as if he knew. Truth was a meaningless word in and of itself because it never meant one single thing. Hanataro used the word to define a lie from a fact, but he'd never use the word, so long as he could help it, to describe any emotion or feeling. There was no true or false there, so as he thought of truth he confused himself, because he did believe in false and lies, but wouldn't admit to there being truth.

Akon and Rin were still doting upon him, making sure he was all right, but he answered as shortly as he could so he could return to his thoughts over and over.

If Nemu was right, and Mayuri should be kept happy as much as possible, then that would mean that the horrible experiments and dissections would go on. That couldn't be for the greater good no matter what, so if Hanataro was killed by Mayuri then would that be the lesser of two evils?

His death would be a stupid death that could have been avoided, but if you are going to view the consequences of a demise by the violent captain's hands, then there would be great benefits. Mayuri would go back to jail.

Then again, his replacement could very well be the same.

Though if Hanataro keeps his mouth shut, yet another artificial creature similar to hollows would be given breath, from Hanataro's own zanpakuto.

What should he do? What was the right thing? Who even cared about right or wrong, when neither had meaning besides selfish and one-sided perspectives by those claiming to know what's best?

This whole thing was a headache, Hanataro thought. But he wouldn't stop thinking even if his incessant debating in his head should cause a migraine, he would think and think and think until something useful should surface.

He remembered Nemu's listlessness. He wasn't sure why that came to mind, but he thought of it, and thought of her father. Why would he think of those two things?

Because there has to be something there. Akon and Rin chattered in the background, but Hanataro had long since pushed them out of mind, because he couldn't deal with the questions upon questions both would ask – so pointless most of the time. He'd answer them later, when he didn't have so much on his mind, and when bile wasn't at the base of his throat. But not until.

Listlessness often would bother someone so impatient as Mayuri, Hanataro thought. That was plain and obvious, no matter how one looked at it, but that was no reason for his constant anger. Or, it might be the reason, but certainly not an excuse. Nemu was listless because she had nothing to do but please her captain, no real friends, or at least none that she thought were true friends, no close companions, no lovers, no one in the world who she knew had their eyes on her for more than a moment.

Mayuri had created her, and in his own way wanted her to be content. He didn't know how to make her content, and because she did not do what he wanted, he became angry. He thought giving something life was enough to make it happy – but Nemu did not ask to be born. He gave her breath, and wanted an obedient servant, but at the same time the feelings of a father – which he wasn't sure why or how they got there – made him want the girl to be happy. She was different from most of her creations because she had a personality, as subdued as his anger had made it.

She wanted so little from life that life itself had gotten too boring for her to show interest any longer. He wanted so much while doing so little that his anger knew no bounds. She was listless, and he was confused.

Hanataro realized all this, and it hadn't taken long to figure out after seeing Mayuri's haphazard behavior to see his confusion, even less time to see Nemu's lack of interest in so much. None of this meant anything unless he could do something about it.

"Maybe we should just have someone from his division come and get him," Rin suggested to Akon, probably after a long debate. Hanataro only just began to listen to the two as he was so tired of himself that he thought hearing the voices and putting meaning to the sounds wouldn't hurt for at least a little while.

"Captain wouldn't like that," Akon replied. "Knowing he was drained of spiritual pressure – it doesn't go outside our boundaries, but we don't want them overreacting. They're all very protective of Hanataro."

"Just have Ikkaku come and get me, no one in my division wants to listen to him," Hanataro suggested, though he thought he only said that in his mind to amuse himself in his delirious state.

"What?" Akon asked incredulously.

"O-oh," Hanataro stuttered, seeing that he had in fact said that aloud. "Um, just have Ikkaku come. He'll walk me home if I can't go by myself."

"The third seat, Ikkaku Madarame?"

"They're together," Rin informed, knowing Akon didn't hear any gossip due to his constant busying of himself in the laboratory for hours too long to hear about anything but the newest breakthroughs.

"Oh. Very well, we'll send for him," Akon replied, perfectly content in the suggestion and not bothering to ask another word. He was fine to stay out of others affairs, and preferred that. He was content within his studies, not bothering to engage in any more verbal exchanges than required, unless he should take to psychology. That was a very unlikely happening though.

Hm... Hanataro thought. Listlessness and contentedness. About as opposite as opposite could truly get.

"Rin, send a Hell Butterfly, please. I've got some things I have to be doing."

"Yes, sir!" Rin replied, scurrying out happily with his newest order.

"Hanataro, I will be seeing you tomorrow, there are many things to do still."

"L-like what?"

"You'll have to wait to see," Akon said. Though Hanataro didn't know it, when Akon said that he meant that he wasn't sure either, he only knew that the work wasn't done or he would've gotten a notification of sorts. Mayuri would inform him of the specifics when the time came to implement whatever should need to be done. However, Hanataro was used to ambiguous speak from superiors, and so he took it in stride from the horned man, and laid down to go back to his thoughts with a clearer head and wait for Ikkaku to help him home. Though he hadn't tried to stand, he knew that walking wasn't going to be an easy thing to do with the pins and needles numbness he felt in his legs.

The room here was too perfectly clean, though. He hadn't noticed in his haze earlier, but it was perfect just like every other room. Maybe that was a good thing for the sick, but he was starting to dislike the perfection in everything. He wouldn't have minded it so much if there was heart in any part of the laboratory, but there was none. Everything had a purpose that it executed perfectly, nothing ever went awry, and though that was something that he might have admired before, he would never think of making perfection a goal again.

Mayuri spoke about his hatred of perfection before, but nothing seemed to be purposeless here. That was Hanataro's definition of perfection, at least for a building. Hanataro liked how there was so much casual chat in his old division, decorations that children of Soul Reapers would bring in and it was hung in certain places just to brighten someone's day. Random paintings would be placed to provide comfort, and there were flaws in the design of things. It was comfortable there.

In Mayuri's division, every conversation was held because it was important to converse. There weren't decorations or purposeless merry-making. There was no mirth or warm or joy. Disinfected, polished, cleaned, perfect walls were everywhere, everything here was so absolutely clean. Even the people. They contained no waste, it seemed.

That might be why Rin didn't fit in at all. He hadn't been here long enough to have the serious demeanor of his division infect him.

Hanataro closed his eyes to sleep until Ikkaku came. His thoughts weren't going anywhere and they were depressing him.

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What? Hanataro is being a hypocrite by pontificating to all of you.

Yeah, well, maybe if you weren't all being creepy brain _stalkers,_ residing in Hanataro's mind then there would be no issue.


	56. Chapter 56

I think there should be a "tag" game on this site like there is on Youtube and DeviantArt.

Just like make authors give random facts about themselves.

Trouble is, I'm not really friends with any authors on this site so it'd be hard to spread the game by tagging people I don't know.

It just seems like fun.

I'll work on that later (like with my very popular *cough, sarcasm, cough***** forum where I tried to create a contest and it's sat for months without anything happening).

Oh well, it's not for lack of trying.

On to the story.

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Hanataro came to in his room, though he didn't remember when he got there or why he was here instead of the infuriatingly perfect room he'd been in. Until he saw Ikkaku sitting across from the bed, going over his own zanpakuto with rice paper, looking to all eyes perfectly content to do that and nothing else for as long as he should have to. Even when Hanataro sat up, Ikkaku was too focused on his task to even notice.

"Ikkaku?"

"Hey, sleepin' beauty," he muttered, not looking up from his sword.

"Why... Why are you here?"

"Cause that weird guy with the ponytail in front told me to make sure you don't do anything to strain yourself," Ikkaku glanced up at Hanataro from his blade for the first time, his gaze not exactly pleased, but not angry either. "Which, by the way, is a pain in the ass. I'm supposed to be training you, but instead I'm tending to you by your bed like you're sick or somethin'."

"It's not like I asked him to say that," Hanataro pouted.

"Is he your cousin or somethin'?" Ikkaku leaned back in his chair, wiping off the remainder of his blade and putting it into its sheath.

"No, why?"

"He looks kinda like you," Ikkaku said, but added with a grin. "Not quite as hot though."

Blushing, Hanataro looked away, his ears poking through his shaggy hair, red as a cherry. "W-well, we're not related."

"Oh well," Ikkaku shrugged and threw his zanpakuto, that he had just put so much time into polishing, on the floor as if it were worthless. He'd had an argument while he'd been fighting with Yachiru with Hozukimaru, the sword complaining and being its lazy self.

"Ikkaku, you shouldn't treat your zanpakuto like that-"

"Bastard is too much trouble," Ikkaku said, walking over to the bed on which Hanataro had just woken up. His sudden actions were obviously surprising Hanataro, but he didn't much notice it. "I love how you look when you just wake up."

"I-ikkaku..." Hanataro wasn't expecting the sudden compliment, or the romantic mood. He'd wanted to talk about the ordeal he went through, as well as ask Ikkaku for help on his wish to give Nemu a break from her father. To say something like that when Ikkaku had just went out of his way – being romantic surely didn't come naturally to him, Hanataro thought – to say something sweet, wasn't called for.

Ikkaku brushed some of Hanataro's hair behind his ear. "You don't look nearly as good as you do after training, though."

"Sorry I can't today," Hanataro apologized, and looked down, away from Ikkaku, who cleared his throat loudly.

"No worries, we'll just double the effort tomorrow."

"Double?" Hanataro whined. "Are you trying to kill me? Come on, that's just cruel!"

"What are you talking about?" Ikkaku tried to suppress his grin, toying with someone as naïve as Hanataro was just to fun to ever pass up should the opportunity arise. "If you miss so much training, then it's only natural we double what would be normal. Really, I should triple it, but I'm in a generous mood."

"Ikkaku! That's not right, last time my legs felt like jelly!"

"Don't complain," Ikkaku frowned, though he wanted to laugh, Hanataro's whining was priceless. He didn't want to rush through the training anymore than Hanataro wanted to be rushed, some of their most intimate moments occurred when Ikkaku saw his boyfriends uniform hang tightly to his thin frame after a long days work. Who was he to put more pressure on that, which was perfect in and of itself? Not to mention, though, Hanataro loved the attention after he was worked into a completely fatigued stupor, perfectly content in being pleased after working so hard – and happy to have Ikkaku around to do it while he laid breathless, trying to regain his strength after spending it all in hours of drills.

Yeah, Ikkaku had no desire to mess up that system. He had every intention on getting Hanataro riled up, though.

"B-but-" Hanataro pouted.

"Now, now, it's not like you to argue," Ikkaku teased, sitting on his haunches by the bed, speaking at eye level with his student/boyfriend, though he used a condescending an artificially disappointed tone.

"You keep telling me I should speak up though!"

"Not against me," Ikkaku said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

For a minute, Hanataro wasn't sure what to say. Then the signature grin crept on his boyfriend's face, showing that Ikkaku wasn't being serious, to which Hanataro responded appropriately by thumping the cocky man on his bald head.

"I though you were being serious, jerk!"

"What told you that I wasn't?" Ikkaku asked, after regaining balance from the hit. "And it's not polite to hit your teacher, just so you know."

"You're impossible!"

"You're violent."

"Shut up!" Hanataro pouted and crossed his arms, though he should have known by now that wouldn't deter Ikkaku in the least.

"Now, now, I'm pretty sure this is classified as exerting yourself, and since that guy – whatever his name was-"

"Rin," Hanataro said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, Rin said not to use too much energy," Ikkaku grinned as Hanataro became more flustered. After a minute of silence, he ventured to get himself in even more trouble. "What, you're surely not mad at that, are you?"

Hanataro sat, pouting, arms crossed, not looking at Ikkaku. He felt like a kid, acting this way, but it actually came naturally to act as he was. Why not?

"Hey, hey. I didn't do anything that bad," Ikkaku protested, putting his hand on Hanataro's chin, making him turn his head around, only to see he was trying not to laugh. "I see how it is."

"What do you mean?" Hanataro was smiling ear to ear, but he managed not to laugh at the insane argument – if it could be called that.

"I thought you were actually mad at me!"

"And I thought you were serious earlier, so we're even now."

"Yeah, but you hit me. What kind of fairness is that?"

"The kind where you were being a jerk, and me a victim."

"Whatever," Ikkaku rolled his eyes. It was funny to him how there was such a roller coaster of emotions that came and went when he talked to Hanataro, but so far, no real hurt feelings. Ikkaku only hoped that he could keep it that way, because as Yumichika never tired of pointing out, he was a bit of an asshole.

Now that Ikkaku had effectively killed the romantic mood, Hanataro saw an opening to talk about what he'd wanted to earlier. "Hey, Ikkaku?"

Uh-oh... Maybe he had hurt some feelings, because the way Hanataro just said his name, it wouldn't be venturing far to say that Hanataro was upset. Ikkaku was treading on eggshells, or at least now he believed he was. "Yeah?"

"I was thinking, about Nemu-"

Breathing a mental sigh of relief, Ikkaku smiled. "Don't worry. I've got that taken care of."

"What?"

"Taken care of, okay? Remember, my job doesn't really demand a whole lot from me. I had all day."

Since when did Ikkaku care about anyone? Hanataro stared at Ikkaku as if he were an alien for a moment, forcing the bald man to clarify. "I just had Yumichika agree to do a make-over, that'd make her relax, and I know we can have him do it regularly too. He never has plans for anything, anyways."

"A make-over?"

"She needs to take her mind off things, and I know Yumichika wouldn't let her think about her creepy dad while she's around him. He has his ways," Ikkaku said the last thing as if it were an ultimate truth, and really, from the time Hanataro had spent around the eccentric beauty, it was.

"How did you think of that?" Was all Hanataro could ask, though if he organized his thoughts, he'd have a million more questions.

"My lieutenant is friends with her, and she said that she just needed to take her mind of things. So, that's what Yumichika is good for. Nobody can listen to his dumb ass rambling and think straight, anyways," Ikkaku was certain of what he said. There were other reasons as well, but no need to go into too much detail.

"Did you have another fight with him?"

"Maybe," Ikkaku said, sliding his eyes to the floor away from Hanataro's knowing blue eyes. "But that's not important."

"I wish I could remember the last time you two were with each other and didn't fight."

"He's impossible!" Ikkaku fumed. "Oh, whatever. It doesn't matter."

"Have you seen my lieutenant around?" Hanataro inquired.

"Isane? Yeah, she's always hanging out with Yumichika these days. I think she's in his room right now, want me to go get her?"

"No!" Hanataro answered, a little too readily when Ikkaku started to stand. "I-i mean, I'm afraid that she'll notice my spiritual pressure is a lot smaller than it was – and if she talks to Captain about it then she might take me out of the twelfth division, then I'll be on bad terms with Captain Kurotsuchi, and that's scary."

Ikkaku honestly hadn't noticed anything about Hanataro's spiritual pressure – it was always rather weak, and if it was a little weaker today, then it didn't make any difference really. He was curious about why Hanataro was so jumpy though – was something going on that shouldn't be? "What happened?"

Now, Hanataro had wanted to talk about everything, just to get it off his chest, but Ikkaku seemed suspicious, and it was hard to talk to someone who was examining your every word carefully. He didn't want to talk about it anymore, and instead do what he always used to do when he was upset – sleep and force it out of mind. "U-um... It's not important."

Ikkaku sat back on his haunches next to the bed, putting his elbow on the side of the bed and resting his head on it, looking up at his nervous boyfriend with his piercing dark eyes. "Tell me anyways. I've got the time."

"No, really, it's not a big deal," he started to twiddle his thumbs.

"I will resort to tickling again, if I must," Ikkaku threatened, though his trademark grin was on his face.

"Ikkaku, it's nothing."

"It's something, because if it was nothing you wouldn't fight with me and you'd just tell me, but then again if it was nothing, then there'd be nothing to tell..." Ikkaku stopped, because he was confusing himself.

"It's nothing-"

"It's something," Ikkaku insisted.

"Nothing-"

"Something!"

"Nothing!"

"Hanataro!" Ikkaku shouted, furrowing his brow, angry that he wasn't being told what he wanted to know.

"It's really nothing," Hanataro sighed.

"It's really not nothing, so tell me something," Ikkaku wasn't giving in, and surprisingly, neither was Hanataro. Maybe Ikkaku had done his job of giving Hanataro some confidence too well.

"No," Hanataro kept on.

"You don't trust me enough to tell me?" Ikkaku tried to pull the guilt trip.

"That's not it!" Hanataro said, falling for it just as expected.

"It must be," Ikkaku shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I'm just not the type that you can trust with your problems. Is that it?"

"N-no! I promise that's not what I was thinking!"

"Then tell me."

"I don't want to," Hanataro said weakly.

"See, you don't trust me."

"That's not it! I just don't want to talk about it."

"Why?"

"Ikkaku, it's just... You're going to say something like, 'Duh, of course' if I tell you."

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Hanataro warned.

"Fine, fine. I promise I'll keep my promise."

Hanataro looked into Ikkaku's eyes as if to confirm he was telling the truth, though he felt a little silly for doing so. One thing he'd learned about Ikkaku was that he was honest (bluntly, brutally honest). "Well, Captain Kurotsuchi is... Creepy. And scary. And I really, really, really hope that I'm put back in my division soon."

"Did he do anything to hurt you?"

"Nothing unorthodox-"

"That's not what I asked."

"Well, he drained my spiritual pressure. Oh, and he knocked me out-"

"I'm gonna kill him," Ikkaku frowned.

"Ikkaku, don't-"

"What, you don't want him dead?"

"Of course not!" Hanataro replied, surprising Ikkaku.

"Wait... Really?"

"Really! You can't just kill someone because they don't agree with you!"

Ikkaku shook his head, remembering the first time he'd heard Hanataro say that, when they were just starting to date. They were talking about the rebel fiasco before Hanataro's deployment, and Ikkaku had thought Hanataro was just saying what he did passingly, just because. People spouted ideas like that all the time without really meaning it, either because they wanted to influence others lives or feel noble about themselves. But that wasn't what Hanataro was doing – he truly believed that. "Then, what?"

"I just – well... There's nothing really to say about it. Captain Kurotsuchi is scary and sadistic, nothing that you didn't already know. I thought that the rumors were inflated, but they're not. He's even worse than rumors let on, actually."

"I don't think you're hearing rumors from the same source as I am, because there's not much getting worse from what I've heard."

"Trust me, there can't be a rumor that sheds light on how creepy he really is."

"Tell me about it," Ikkaku urged.

Biting his lip, Hanataro hesitated. But then again, what had he to lose? "Fine, but just listen, okay? Don't interrupt-"

"Would I do that to you?" Ikkaku grinned.

"Yes."

"You're violent, and mean."

"Oh, shut up."

"I will once you start telling the story."

"I'll tell the story once you stop talking."

"Well, we're pretty much at odds then, huh?"

"Shut it!"

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Ha ha. This is so cute.

Reminds me of my relationships.

Almost all of them have a bunch of arguments like this.

Same exchanges, just different topics.

But I have to say, this type of arguing never gets old, it's always frustrating and cute (though only cute after I finish arguing, and annoying while we bicker.)

Fun Fact: In some countries, if student and teacher were to have a romantic relationship, they would both be put to death. :)


	57. Chapter 57

*I quoted one of my favorite stories – Faust, here. I didn't pull out the actual play though, and I just looked up the quote (it was hell finding the one I wanted, though). I don't remember where exactly it's located, but it's in part one, so... Yeah, that's useful I'm sure. It's Mephistopheles that I have give a quote in particular, because I love it so much. :)

Yumichika's thing with poetry is kind of like mine with my books. Over and over and over again, I will read "Mister B. Gone" to myself just because I like to make my voice feel emotion (and that book is one hell of a roller coaster of emotion) and I figure Yumichika would like to use poetry to practice having his voice sound just the way he wants it. Why not? It's fun to do, and that way you don't wake up and speak to people in your scratchy morning voice (the first thing I do every morning is read that book. . . I bet I could write the thing unabridged from memory by now). I don't see Yumichika liking Clive Barker (too much gore, not enough romance, even though there often is pseudo romances. They all are pretty much lust confused with love. And not as romantic as Romeo and Juliet so oh well.).

Though, I have to admit, there's a part of the book (talking about Mister B. Gone here) where the main character, who is speaking to you throughout the whole book (yay first person novels!), states his distaste for having my voice, if I were reading the book in my head. He says something along the lines of him (Jakabok Botch is his name) being nothing more than a figment of my imagination, trapped in the confines of my head and existing nowhere else. Every time I read that, I swear I get chills. (Then the part where he promises he will slice me to ribbons until his heart content. That's creepy, too.)

*A mani-pedi goes on here. I've never had a manicure or a pedicure, so I read about them. Forgive mistakes as they arise.

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There were a million things that Isane could say about Yumichika – and in her current mood, very few would be remotely positive. He had dressed her up, giving her a black kimono with vibrant cherry blossoms decorating it, as well as a complete make-over, and no one who was fair could deny she looked beautiful. But he hadn't given her the slightest incline of an option, telling her that he had set her up on a date with Shunsui, and it would be ugly of her not to attend.

Ugly? That was an understatement. To stand up a captain? No, no, no! Absolutely not, that wasn't even an option! She couldn't do that, even if she really did not want to show up on any type of date.

What a pompous, narcissistic jerk! Isane thought as she walked into the restaurant.

Or, she thought that she had thought that.

Very much to her surprise, the new recruits (or, they were over a month old in their division now, so they weren't so new anymore) in both the eleventh and fourth division were seated, taking up half of the tables. One of the female members in her division spoke up, knowing Isane quite well from all the time she'd spent (albeit not by choice) listening to the nightmares her lieutenant had frequently. "Um, Lieutenant, are you feeling well?"

"Yes, Aiko. Why?"

"You were speaking out loud to yourself... Again."

"O-oh," Isane blushed, and he eyes scanned the room for her date. He wasn't here yet. Great. "Wait, aren't you guys supposed to be with Yumichika today?"

The newest members of their respective divisions got noticeably nervous, Aiko continuing to speak as she was the only one who had the courage to say anything on the matter, though just barely. "W-well, he's..."

"Busy!" A member of the eleventh division offered.

"Yes, busy. He's busy today."

"He didn't tell me anything about having plans for anything but rehearsing with you guys."

"S-something came up?" Aiko squeaked, unsure of herself.

"What did you do?" Isane's eyes narrowed on the girl.

"Hey, don't bully her!" The same member of the eleventh division who had given a suggestion to her said. That was new, though. An eleventh divisioner protecting someone from the fourth division from Isane?

There was a hole in the Matrix. Something was not right.

Until she remembered Yumichika saying something about uniting opposites against a common enemy, him volunteering himself to be that adversary. "Is he. . . Is he okay?"

"We didn't do anything bad, Lieutenant!" Aiko said quickly. "We just used a binding kido on the door to his room, and windows while he was still getting ready so he couldn't come out. And we are going to let him out before tomorrow, we just wanted a break!"

"I see. . ." Isane mumbled. If Isane were to be in their position, he would've gotten more suffering than a night locked in his room. "You never told me any of this, right?" She asked with a faint smile.

"No, ma'am!" Aiko grinned and bowed.

I wonder if they know Yumichika wanted them to do that? Isane thought that she thought inside the confines of her own head, again. 'Tw

"What, Lieutenant?"

"Darn! Not sleeping is really taking its toll," Isane scolded herself, but at that moment saw Shunsui walk in, and left her underlings , hoping that none of them would question her later on the new habit she accidentally picked up of speaking to herself.

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"I knew I'd made them mad," Yumichika sighed to himself, sweating from all the effort it took to break the kido they'd used before Nemu came. "But, geez. They went to some real trouble here." He fell on his bed, resting not ten minutes before a clear, but not loud, knock come on his door exactly on time. "It's not locked!" He called, and Nemu walked in, perfectly poised, but her mind obviously wondering. She closed the door without letting it make a noise, and walked to the center of the room, looking at Yumichika as if expecting instruction.

This was not going to be a fun night, Yumichika thought, unless she loosens up. "Good afternoon, Nemu!"

"Good afternoon to you too, Mr. Ayasegawa."

"Oh, this is going to be a while," Yumichika said, sounding defeated already. "Please, call me Yumichika."

"Very well," she replied in monotone.

Oh dear, Yumichika thought. Everything he needed to do her visual make-over was sat out, but there was nothing he felt he needed to fix more than her robot voice. Where are his poems when he needs them? He began to rummage through some boxes, looking for something that Nemu wouldn't expect– she could have easily heard about his love of Shakespeare, but surely she didn't know about his obsession with _Faust_, he'd made sure to keep it near and dear to him. No one else that he spent time with would care to give it a second glance. He didn't want anyone who wouldn't appreciate the story for all its worth even know its name, but Nemu seemed to remind him of the main character in small ways (as did her father, now that he thought about it), and he thought that was grounds for sharing.

"Yumichika?" Saying his first named sounded as if it were a pained attempt, but she was curious.

"Here it is!" He exclaimed, but maybe, now that he thought about it, this was too sad to bring up in the company of the melancholic lieutenant. He turned to one of the less depressing parts, wishing he would have the particular version of the story where Gretchen pleads for Faust's eternal life to be spared, instead of the one where Satan takes him off to hell as the deal had said. Oh well, the play had its aspects of beauty, and Faust's listlessness and constant hunger for knowledge happened to be a linking point for Nemu. At least she was already spared from hell, being in the Soul Society.

"What?" She tilted her head in confusion, looking at him with her big green eyes.

"Just be quiet, and listen for a bit," Yumichika insisted, and begun to read. "In the end, you are exactly-what you are.

Put on a wig with a million curls,

put the highest heeled boots on your feet,

yet you remain in the end just what you are."

"Yumichika, why do you read so many poems that you bring back from the human world? You don't even go there very often."

"Hey! You're supposed to appreciate this, not complain!" Yumichika shouted, though she had a bit of a point. He did rely on their poetry quite a bit. But he didn't need to be lectured on it. And Nemu needed practice on _not_ speaking as if she were a robot.

"But what you just read, if I should believe it, defeats the purpose of a make-over."

"Oh..." Yumichika threw the book across the room, into a pile of pillows where it sank like a ship with a damaged haul. "I'll find something else later," he mumbled to himself. He found his pumice stone to remove the dead skin from Nemu's feet, which he expected to be the longest job, and directed Nemu to sit down and take her shoes off. He should have made Ikkaku come for this, it would be way too hard for him to scrub her rough feet made hard from the constant work she seemed to indulge in.

"Why did you pull out a poem book?" She asked, after doing what she was told. There was something about beautifying that made talking come easier, as many hair stylists would admit easily, and talking to a stranger who had almost nothing at all to do with your life was relaxing. It was like a mental detox, knowing that the one you confided in knows no more about yourself than you had told them, and after tossing them to the side once their job was done, they didn't matter anymore. Basic psychology set out the grounds to help Nemu along talking freely, though it really wasn't something she did within the confines of work or family.

"Your voice is too flat. When you read out loud to yourself, you have to think about the words, and it helps you feel the meaning of them."

"Is that so?"

"I always read poetry to myself so my voice sounds the most beautiful," Yumichika began rubbing the pumice stone on the sides of her feet, which were white. This had been put off for too long, Yumichika thought with a frown. He wished he had a sander of sorts.

"Does it work for everyone?"

"Only people who want to make it work," he replied, trying to asses her entire foot to see how long of a job this would be. At least a few hours, he thought bitterly.

"Is something wrong?" She asked in her monotonous voice, but her green eyes seemed to show concern. Yumichika shrugged.

"I can't answer unless you sound like you want the question to be answered."

"What does that mean?" She would never understand this man, she was sure of it already.

"Well, if you ask a question that is concerning someone's well-being, you should sound like you're concerned about them. You don't change your tone at all when you speak, and that's no good," he said while scrubbing the dead skin from Nemu's feet.

"U-um," she was curious as to what Yumichika meant, really. She heard how his tone rose and fell as if he were singing, but why should he want others to put so much effort into the way that they talked? So long as they could understand her, then it shouldn't be a problem how she spoke, should it?

"Never mind, we'll work on that later. How come you seem so distant?"

"Huh?"

"You don't look like you much want to be here. Like you're thinking of something else."

"Father says I do that quite a bit," Nemu said softly.

"Well, what are you thinking about? I promise I won't say anything to anyone."

Nemu looked at Yumichika for a while. There were many rumors of his fondness to blackmail people, and she certainly didn't want to walk right into a trap.

"Come on," he persisted. "If I lied, then it would be ugly. How about we trade secrets, that way every time we go to gossip we'll know that the one we're getting ready to talk about has something to hold over our heads?"

"I-i..."

"What have you got to lose?" Yumichika smiled. "Getting everything off your chest by speaking to someone you never see is really relaxing, I promise."

"F-fine," she replied, not looking at Yumichika. "But, you tell your story first."

She wants to talk about it, Yumichika thought. He wondered how long that she'd been keeping it pent-up, because a quiet and solitary girl confiding to an eccentric gossip wasn't exactly common. Oh well. "Well, this is something I've never told anyone," he began. She listened attentively, just to make sure her secret would stay safe by knowing his well. "But I cut my hair because Izuru Kira said he liked men with shorter hair."

"Why would that matter?"

"Because my Zuru should like me as much as I do him, no?"

Nemu blushed. "Why do you say 'Your Zuru'? You're not dating, are you?"

"He just doesn't know he's mine yet, but that doesn't change anything. Now, it's your turn."

"That wasn't very incriminating."

"I would die if someone like Ikkaku found out, he'd be obnoxious about it till the bitter end. I've always said I don't need to change for anyone, so he would call me out on being a hypocrite," Yumichika pouted as he kept at his scrubbing. "I would never hear the end of it from him! So you absolutely, no matter what, can't let that slip."

"I see. You two bicker a lot, don't you?"

"Every now and then. I wouldn't have it any other way. But it's your turn to tell me something."

Nemu was bashful for a minute, and let Yumichika continue with his endless scrubbing (or, since he'd hardly moved from the spot he'd started on, it seemed that it would be endless). She spoke up after a few minutes of relaxing at the sensation of the dead skin being stripped from her feet. "I always liked to see Father happy, and he used to smile more. But when I started getting older, I think that it's when I got restless that he got angry. I don't know why, but I always feel like I should be doing something more, and even this is difficult because I don't like to take breaks. I like to work. It's something that I've been created to do, and I enjoy doing it. So, if I hardly ever stop working it's hard to do more."

"Restless, huh?"

"I do like speaking with you, though. Normally Father and I don't talk to much, and the people I work with. . . Well, I'm too busy to chat. This is nice though," she smiled, and it seemed to be the first sincere smile Yumichika had ever seen grace her face.

"You look better like that," he said.

"Like what?"

"Happy." She blushed. "Though I always hear you refer to Mayuri as Captain Kurotsuchi. Never 'Father'."

"Well, he is my father. When we don't work, that's what I call him. I do love him," she added the last part softly. "I really do. I know that I should be angry with him for doing a lot of things that he maybe shouldn't do, but I'm not angry with him at all."

"He's mad at you all the time."

"It's what I've done, I think," she said softly. "I just don't act as I used to. I know he used to be much nicer to me. But it doesn't matter. If we've changed, I'll live with the change."

"Change again," Yumichika said, putting down the pumice stone and stretching out his sore arm. This was a task for Hercules, not him. "and again, and again, until it works. Find a place where you can be happy and he can too."

"There's no such thing as making everyone happy," she said. "Father taught me that much. There aren't happy endings or deals that please all. Just weigh the importance of the groups in the deal, and make the most important group happy."

"Have you tried making everyone happy?"

"No, and I don't intend to try to do the impossible. Sacrificing my happiness is a little price to pay. I can't go around pretending I'm the only one who matters."

"You never even pay any mind to yourself."

Nemu smiled a little bit, and it was still her sincere smile. "It doesn't matter. I do what I like to do sometimes, and I do what I'm told to do sometimes. That's a fair balance, isn't it?"

He shrugged in response. He didn't mean to enter a philosophical debate, but that's where the conversation had led to. Oh well, he thought. The struggles of the beautiful. Nemu had her share just as everyone else.

He would make sure to tell her at some point, thought, that her listlessness hadn't even made her father happy. Only after he found a solution, though. How hard could it possibly be?

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	58. Chapter 58

I'm trying to grow out my nails. Did anyone know that typing actually makes nails grow faster? (Cool, huh? I'm already typing copious amounts of rubbish, as you can tell. Just a win-win situation for me.)

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"Nemu!" Mayuri called out, half yawning. She was in his bathroom, presumably setting out his paint so he could put it on and start the day, but she was earlier than normal. For some reason, she didn't answer him, so he tried again, louder though still tired. "Nemu!"

"One moment, Captain Kurotsuchi," she replied, unusually attentive, missing the listlessness she normally had, and her voice was almost sing-song, as opposed to the monotone that he'd become accustomed to.

But she'd called him "Captain" before the day had begun. "Nemu? It's too early for you to be calling me-"

She walked into his bedroom from the conjoined bathroom looking absolutely stunning. Her white obi had been traded for a soft, earthy green, tied by a tan rope, with dark green tassels. Her make-up reflected the subtle pattern, with neutral gloss on her lips, greenish brown eyeshadow, thin mascara, and brown beaded ear rings. Her nails were pale green. He'd never seen his artificial daughter looked so dressed up. "Nemu, what happened?"

"Sorry, Captain Kurotsuchi, I'll take all of this off at once," she bowed deeply, her voice a little sad now, but not the monotonous and infuriating tone he'd always heard.

"Call me Father before we work, like you always do."

Nemu looked up with her perfect green eyes, seeing the time on the red digital clock next to her Father's bed reading three in the morning. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't sleep last night – I forgot the time."

"Why are you dressed up?"

"Well, the fifth seat of the eleventh division gave me a make-over-"

"He's not known for generosity," Mayuri remarked and started to stretch. He normally slept for another hour, getting up at four to paint his face on and be ready for the day, reaching the laboratory around six if he could. He was a morning person and could work quickly after his first cup of coffee, but painting himself was one of his favorite parts of the day, and he liked to drag it out just because he could. "I thought you didn't like make-up?"

"I don't mind it," she replied, speaking freely for once. That was very rare for Nemu, though it used to be natural for her. Mayuri narrowed his eyes on the girl, but got nothing enlightening from just meeting gazes. He wasn't sure what to make of her yet, or really decide whether or not he liked the sing-song voice better than what he'd gotten used to.

If he wasn't accustomed to Nemu's monotone, he'd choose her liveliness one hundred times out of one hundred. She was more attentive now than she had ever been, except maybe in her early youth, but she'd slowly been digging herself into a pit of self-pity (as he deemed it with disdain every time he was agitated by her attitude) for years upon years. For her to change suddenly without rhyme or reason was suspicious and even unpleasant. He didn't like things to happen too quickly.

"Is something wrong, Father?" She asked. Normally she would have not asked that question, leaving his sour mood alone unless he brought it up.

"Yes," he kept his eyes on her as if he expected her to try to pull her blade on him at any moment.

"What?"

She would not leave well enough alone, Mayuri thought bitterly.

"I don't have my coffee yet," he replied spitefully.

She pointed to his nightstand, where a pot was brewed. "I had a feeling you would be up early."

"Um... Paint?"

"Set out." Right, Mayuri thought. That's why she was in his restroom.

"Repairs to the roof where water damage set in-"

"Completed."

"The curtailing in staff-"

"Done."

What was going on with his daughter? She normally forgot half the things he wanted done. "Where is your zanpakuto?"

"It's in my room, as always."

"Bring it with you today," he said and got out of bed, but he did not take his eyes off Nemu for an instant. "Go to the laboratories and get ready for the day."

"Yes, sir," she replied and walked out, having a bit of jump to her step.

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Hanataro had been sitting on a cold metal bench for about ten minutes now, Akon asking him a thousand questions that seemed to be of no importance, about his diet and how much he exercised, his duties and what his daily life entailed. Rin was running back and forth, doing odd errands for every individual who should ask, coming to Akon every now and then to see if there was anything he should need. This was quite possibly the most uncomfortable Hanataro thought he'd ever been, outside of very extreme situations.

The large metal door slammed open, Mayuri walking in, still looking pained by his recent experiments, with a dressed up Nemu following close behind as always. Akon didn't look up from his clipboard, identifying them by their spiritual pressure. "Good morning, Captain, Lieutenant."

"It's past noon," Mayuri said bluntly. His daughter stopped at three paces into the room, but her father walked to where Akon was standing, in front of Hanataro, being a good ten paces into the room. Without warning, he took the clipboard that Akon had been scribbling on and read over it, his subordinate not seeming in the least surprised.

"There hasn't been a lot of pro..." Akon began, looking up to see his captain and lieutenant, his face going slightly pink at seeing the dolled up girl standing as she awaited the command of her father. "Progress, sorry, there hasn't been-" Akon tried to cover himself for stopping, his captain glaring at him suspiciously with those reptilian eyes.

"You're blind, or idiotic," Mayuri commented without emphasis or infliction, and he turned his eyes towards Hanataro, who was cowering at this point under the intense and frightening glare of his new captain.

"B-but, there's no data-" Akon began to protest.

"Look at the person you're examining," Mayuri pointed out bluntly. "No, psychology is something you don't understand at all. This was my fault for giving you a job you couldn't handle. Follow me, and you might learn something."

"C-captain?" Akon looked at him confused, but Mayuri simply began to walk out of the room, beckoning for Hanataro to follow, which the medic did without hesitation. It was well and good to think of all the horrible things Mayuri did, and hate him for it, but it was something else entirely to stand up to him while in the man's own domain. Or do so period, now that Hanataro thought sincerely about it. He liked to be noble, but there was a fine line between courage and suicidal stupidity.

"Now," he said, leading them to a room the simulated an outside training area. He began to tighten and loosen his right hand, as if it were injured by something.

Hanataro stood alone, Akon being far to his left, and Nemu standing behind her father dutifully, though missing her characteristic melancholy. After Mayuri finished stretching his hand, which now Hanataro was able to see was for battle purposes, he reached to the golden ornaments on the side of his head (him still using his previous get-up, continuing the dislike for his most recent make-over) and pulled out the scythe. It was connected to his head by what seemed to the medic's trained eyes as artificial nerve tissue or sinews, enhanced obviously to make it stronger. The blade itself was a cheap metal that could easily be replaced, and it was sharpened with no real care, having a plethora of nicks and it had begun to rust even.

That only made it more frightening. Mayuri's eyes stayed fixed on Hanataro as he began to spin the scythe. "As you might have noticed, some recent experiments have rendered my right leg nearly useless. I'm no faster than an unseated officer at the moment, and though I could easily fix that, it's an ongoing study I've become devoted to. Regardless," Mayuri stopped his digression before it even started. "My right arm, as well, hurts horribly. I'm going to fight you with my chain scythe, and so long as you get a scratch on me, I'll conclude all this testing."

"I-i can't cut anything with my zanpakuto!" Hanataro protested.

"Do you hate me?" Mayuri asked without infliction, as if he were asking if Hanataro was hungry. The way he asked his question made Hanataro second guess what he heard and even when he did realize he didn't mistake the captain's words, he was reluctant to answer.

"Mr. Yamada, it's not polite to leave a question unanswered," Nemu reprimanded, with surprising zeal in her voice. He'd never seen her speak in a way where emotions showed themselves at all.

"I-i-"

"Yes or no, boy." Mayuri said, still swinging his weapon, his eyes narrowing on the boy now for not answering his question.

Ikkaku had always told Hanataro to speak his mind. Now the medic wanted to scream at him for beating that lesson into his head, but he couldn't bring himself to lie. "Y-yes."

"Then you'll cut me," he said, assured. "You have five seconds to try before I give you a reason to fight with a little more urgency."

"W-wait, what?" Hanataro was caught off guard, dumbfounded even.

"Five," Mayuri began his countdown without paying any mind to Hanataro's question.

"Ho-hold on!" Hanataro begged, trying to unsheathe his blade, though shaking too severely to manage.

"Four," Mayuri wasn't deterred.

"Please!" Hanataro yanked his blade out and tried to remember what Ikkaku had taught him in their few times training together.

"Three."

"I'm sorr-" Hanataro was about to apologize, and plead for his captain to begin again, but he heard a throat clear. He stopped the apology before it crossed his lips and thought briefly on what to do.

"Two."

Never mind. There happened to not be enough time to think, he ran forward.

"One."

His footing faltered, Mayuri lost his patience and with his injured arm sent the badly sharpened blade hurdling towards the medic. It missed without Hanataro having to dodge it, though instead of take the opportunity that the failed blow presented, the medic wondered what was going on. Even injured, Mayuri should be able to make his weapon of choice hit.

"Pay attention!" Akon shouted, as the scythe that Hanataro had thought missed was pulled out of the rock it lodged in, and came back at Hanataro, spewing sharp ruble in its wake.

The weapon itself was easy enough to avoid, though the rubble that it brought with it was impossible. The larger pieces hit Hanataro and sent him flying, and many of the smaller rocks cut the medic up in various places. "Get back up!" Akon urged, Mayuri swinging his weapon round, ready to strike again.

Mayuri seemed bored at his task, his prey being frightened out of its mind. He struck again, opening up a thin scratch of the pale face of his test subject before he brought his weapon back to him, presumably ready to do real damage now that he sufficiently warned the smaller man of his intentions. There was no time to think, or to be scared, or to do anything but follow orders and hopefully be spared.

Assessing a situation came naturally for Hanataro, though. He staggered back to his feet with some difficulty, realizing in the back of his mind that Mayuri was having no little difficulty with this task. His arm was slowing him down, though he was fairly accurate. The pained attempts of launching his weapon also gave away where he wanted it to land.

Before, there was no question that Hanataro wouldn't have put that knowledge that he acquired with little difficulty to any use, but this time he was able to see some utility in the observations. Ikkaku had taught him the first thing that he had to use his defense as an offense if he wanted to go anywhere, and only now was that making any real sense.

Mayuri launched his scythe to hit Hanataro's arm, though he deflected it by using the hilt of his sword to send it flying upwards, doing this with little difficulty as he'd been training to get stronger, as well as Mayuri was very much weakened by whatever experiment was impeding his speed. Before the painted man could recover, Hanataro launched himself forward, too afraid for his life at the moment to have any reservations, and he did it. He cut along the length of Mayuri's injured arm.

It was a shallow, pathetic cut that hardly bled, but it was a cut. He felt like a cornered rat that just clawed at the face of a cat about to make a meal of him. Mayuri looked enraged despite Hanataro doing just as he had said.

"I thought you said you hated me!" He yelled, furious. Both Akon and Nemu starred on in awe that Hanataro had cut with his zanpakuto, but Mayuri had already surmised that it would. What had he done wrong, though?

"I-i-i-"

"This is pathetic! You didn't want to kill me!"

"O-of course I didn't!"

"You think I would let you actually kill me?" He continued.

"I-"

"You're. . . You're. . ." he was shaking with anger. He looked at the cut. "You hate me, but you don't want to kill me?" He wanted to punch Hanataro, but he knew he couldn't without being reported. His fight was for a purpose, but to hit the medic just because he wanted to wasn't orthodox at all.

"W-why did you even get cut?" Hanataro was concerned, truth be told. He had no clue why his zanpakuto cut anything for the first time. What did hate or intent to kill do, anyways?

"You're an idiot," Mayuri spat. "Your doll had pink spiritual pressure, which means that it's still developing, normally. If it has pink early on, by the next day it will be more red. But it stayed pink because it could not develop. Why would that be?"

Hanataro didn't have an answer, and with Mayuri's furious eyes on him he couldn't force himself to say even that much.

"It means that the thing cannot grow without you."

What does that have to do with anything? Hanataro wondered, his heart beating like a drum in his chest.

"Your zanpakuto is an extension of you," Mayuri sighed, upset that he has to explain so much. "You sword is exactly like you in nearly every way, and because of that it does not want to hurt anyone in situations that aren't extreme. My zanpakuto is simply a tool, yours is a piece of yourself." Nemu stepped forward as her father kept on speaking. "You will master the mechanics of the blade today as you battle with Nemu. You'd better be ready for a long day. I can tell already it will take you a while to master cutting with that useless thing."

Though he could barely hear himself over the frantic beating of his own heart, he ventured to ask: "If the aura does change, what does that mean?"

"That you're all grown up, after who knows how long you've spent being a coward, and maybe you can be counted on for more the sweeping the ruble from the streets the next time Seireitei is to be attacked," Mayuri said with hate thick enough to be drizzled on pancakes like a syrup evident in his speech. He couldn't spend another minute around someone as weak as this, someone who could hate and not kill. He was just as bad as his Captain.

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I wrote this when I was half-asleep, and I think it turned out very good. It's one of my favorite chapters by far. Mayuri is too fun to write. I think I'm starting to like him more than Yumichika, and that's really something coming from me. (I see Yumichika as an anime, male version of myself, because I really am as narcissistic as he is and I love his antics. But Mayuri is the epiphany of awesome so, I'm not sure which I like better now.)


	59. Chapter 59

Aw. . . I don't get to write Mayuri nearly as much anymore... He's had most of his time used up in the story. I'm going to go be a depressing teenager as my wardrobe suggests that I am already. Where's my poetry notebook?

*Retsu's confusion with tools is the same as mine the previous day. I was handing my papa tools and he asks for a brass hammer, so pretty much the same thing happens with me and him as what happens with Retsu and Ikkaku when the brass hammer thing comes up (I don't know why he called it a brass hammer, either, I was too scared to ask since he was really mad at both me getting the wrong tool and the car being a pain in the ass to work on).

*I have a project going on because this story is all over the place.

I organized the story into arcs, like anime does sometimes. But I can't organize anything so it sucks horribly and I realize that. Please forgive me for the random and confusing aspects (well, either that, or go away because I'm an amateur writer so I can barely follow my own thought processes let alone go back and fix the trail of shit I leave where ever I tread). Someone suggested that I should do summaries, so that's what I'm going to do, as well as title all the arcs. So, if you want to read a summary (actually, I think it's going to be more of a teaser about what the arc is about rather than a summary because summaries will spoil the story for those who are reading through it the first time) for whatever arc, you go to a chapter that has a name and I will have posted the summary there. I don't know when this all will be finished, because I'm lazy as most teenagers are. But yeah, I'll be working on it.

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"All right, now give me the brass hammer," Ikkaku held out his hand, currently working on some of the plumbing that had went bad sometime in the previous week with the most unlikely person helping him.

Retsu thought it would be a good time to try to get to know Ikkaku, seeing as he was still very much a mystery to her. His outburst, which caused her initial dislike of him had been thus explained but the newest riot, and while his personality was still distasteful, she wanted to give him a chance now. It only occurred after sitting next to him for thirty minutes, listening to obscure names she'd never heard before in her life, thatmaybe she should have learned her tools before offering to help. She picked out a carpenter's hammer, which was made of brass, and handed it to him.

"No, no, no," Ikkaku sighed, crawling out of the hole in the wall he had to make to get to the problem. "This is horrible. I should have called Iba. Then again, he's an idiot," Ikkaku was too tired to get mad, so he just let his head fall into his hands. He pulled out a copper plated mallet. "This is what I call a brass hammer."

"But, that's not brass-"

"This is what I call a brass hammer," Ikkaku repeated with more force and went back to work. "Now I need a regular hammer."

"Which is that?" Retsu asked, looking through the toolbox that had at least twelve kinds of hammer.

"The regular hammer is called a carpenter's hammer. You just gave me one," Ikkaku was too tired to deal with this. If people don't know their tools, why do they offer to help? Just to piss him off?

"Oh, I see," she replied, and handed him the carpenter's hammer, and then returned to sitting next to the tool box for the next time he asked for something.

"Screwdriver."

She handed him a Philips.

"A _straight_ screwdriver."

"That one isn't curved."

"Oh, someone shoot me," Ikkaku crawled out again, and showed Retsu the difference between the two basic types of screwdriver, then returned into the little cubbyhole in the wall, doing whatever he was doing, obscured to Retsu's curious eyes. The only thing she knew about the situation was that there was a dripping in the pipes that was leaving watermarks, and the water wasn't pumping properly when you turned a faucet on. It wasn't that she didn't want to learn what the problem was really, but rather she couldn't ask when Ikkaku seemed so ultimately focused, and angry at every step of the way. "Don't you have paperwork?" He asked, getting more annoyed by the minute and never really learning how to hold his tongue.

"No, actually. I'm very much ahead on my paperwork."

"Then don't you have other things to be doing?"

"I canceled my Ikebana class to do this."

Dammit, Ikkaku thought. Looks like she's staying. "Hand me my channellocks."

"What are those?"

"They're like pliers."

"Then why not say pliers?" She asked, looking through the tool box for one of the few things she could identify.

"Because they're not damn pliers, they're channellocks. Where the hell is Yumichika? He knows what the things I need are," Ikkaku groaned. "They slide – the ones I have are blue. Or, the handles are blue."

"This, then?" Retsu handed him his channellocks.

"Finally, someone competent," Ikkaku smiled a little bit because for once someone actually managed to give him the right thing. Maybe Retsu wasn't the horrible, bossy mother-in-law he thought she was. Or maybe that was dumb luck.

"Do you have a lot of problems with this sort of thing?" Retsu asked curiously.

"You have no idea," was Ikkaku's dismal response, and he stayed quiet for another thirty minutes, having all the tools he needed and truthfully having no interest in conversation as he worked. By the time he'd finished Retsu was bored out of her mind with nothing to do.

"Are you done?" She asked, seeing him crawl out and begin to stretch, hoping that the job had gone without hitting a brick wall. It was hard to tell by looking at him, because he had a perpetually pissed off expression on his face while he worked.

"Yeah, it'll work now," he replied, popping his stiffened spine, then going back in to grab the tools he left, along with his flashlight. He threw them into the large metal toolbox and picked it up. "I'll come back later to fix the wall, but do me a favor."

"What's that?"

"Don't help next time," Ikkaku said, completely serious.

"W-why?" She stood up. He had just complimented her, but didn't want her to help anymore?

"Because Hanataro knows more about tools then you, and that's sad on a level that shouldn't be reached," he replied, looking at his hand that he cut open while working. "Um. . . I'm pretty sure this will get infected. Can you fix it?"

Retsu found it amusing how he referred to his hand as if it were just broken and wanted her to fix it like he would fix the faulty plumbing. Though she held back the laughter in case it would cause Ikkaku to blow a gasket (he must be close by now), and took his hand to look at it. "Yes, this needs to be bandaged."

"Can't you do a kido and just fix it?"

"I could," she replied, giving him no more.

"Will you?"

"No, but I'll bandage it."

"Why?" he whined.

"Because, it doesn't require a kido" she replied.

"No fair, I fixed you pipes and you won't even-"

"Ikkaku, I'm going to 'fix' your hand, so stop complaining," Retsu said calmly, and led him to an unoccupied room so she could disinfect the cut. She pulled the antiseptic out, as well as salve and bandages, all the while Ikkaku complained like a child.

"Ow, that stings," he said as she began to apply the antiseptic with a cotton ball.

"Don't complain," she reprimanded.

"It stings," he continued.

"You're acting like a child," she told him coldly.

"Yeah, a child who has a gash on their hand and that stuff stings!"

Retsu couldn't help but giggle a little bit as she continued the treatment. She just found endless enjoyment, realizing Ikkaku wasn't the tough guy that he always tried to portray himself as.

"It's _not_ funny!" Ikkaku frowned at the woman, taking her laughing as a direct insult.

"I beg to differ," Retsu countered.

Ikkaku pouted, but he spoke no more. He was losing the battle anyways, and didn't want to dig himself into a deeper hole. It wasn't until she had put the salve on and begun to wrap the bandages that Ikkaku chose to say anything more. "Hey, do you know anything about Nemu?"

"Of course," Retsu said, and looked curiously at Ikkaku. There was no reason that she could think of for him to bring the shy lieutenant up in conversation.

"Have you seen her today?"

"No, she's probably at the laboratory with that awful captain of hers."

"Right," Ikkaku averted his eyes and didn't go any further. Just mentioning Nemu reminded Retsu of Mayuri, and Mayuri was a taboo to bring up before the normally serene and calm woman.

"Why would you want to talk to me about Nemu?"

"Well, I figured if you saw her you could tell me something."

"Like what?" She finished wrapping the bandage and used the medical tape to secure it.

"You just always know when you look at people what mood they're in, or at least that's what Hanataro said so I-"

"Why would you care?" Retsu was beyond confused as to why Ikkaku would even be interested in Nemu in the least.

"Um. . . Never mind, it's not important since you didn't see her," Ikkaku began to walk out of the room, but the captain caught him by his wrist.

"Tell me anyways, I've got all the time in the world."

"Just that Hanataro was worried about her, so I set up something to try and cheer her up, and I was wondering if it worked," Ikkaku admitted with a shrug. It really didn't matter to him, and it wasn't worth the captain suspecting him of anything or becoming angry.

"Really? What did you set up?" She lifted an eyebrow.

"A make-over. Girls like that, right?"

"You're an idiot," she sighed. "Why would Nemu like a make-over?"

"Because-"

"Ikkaku!" Yumichika burst through the door. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Retsu was taken aback, mostly because no one in her division would dare enter a room without knocking, and then there was the energy that Yumichika brought everywhere when he was excited that Retsu wasn't anywhere near used to, even if he spent a fair few afternoons with Isane.

"Yumichika, what the hell are you running around for?" Ikkaku was actually thankful for the interruption, because he didn't really like explaining his feelings to anyone, if he could help it. But at the same time, he wasn't very good at showing gratitude.

"That make-over went over without a hitch, Nemu is absolutely beautiful. If her hair was a little more compliant, she would almost rival me," he smiled brightly. "Remember, I said almost, okay?" he added carefully. "Oh, you wouldn't believe it! She was smiling and happy – your advice worked."

"You. . . Giving advice?" Retsu looked at Ikkaku, who's face had gone red.

"Shut up, would you, Yumichika?"

"Why? I'm telling you that it worked!" Yumichika pouted and crossed his arms. "How did you know-"

"Shut up," Ikkaku hissed dangerously.

"I'm just asking how-"

"_Yumichika,_" Ikkaku was glaring daggers.

"Go on, how did he know what?" Retsu urged Yumichika to continue, though now the beauty was confused. What was going on in here before he came, anyways? Why would Retsu be with Ikkaku, and why did Ikkaku not want him to talk?

"Well," Yumichika smiled despite his confusion. "He knew Nemu had a crush on Akon, and that Akon liked Nemu."

"W-what?" Retsu looked at Ikkaku, then back to Yumichika.

"I told you to shut your mouth, you piece of-"

"Nemu's so happy with the news, she's not all gloom and doom anymore," Yumichika cut off Ikkaku's angry rant. "and think of the benefits for everyone!"

"Captain Kurotsuchi would never allow-" Retsu began.

"Don't be so close minded!" Yumichika reprimanded. "If Nemu's with Akon she'll stop the gloom and doom, which we found out was why the freak of nature always got mad at her in the first place! Plus, Akon's too obsessed with his own work, he would never take her away from what she has to do. If anything will happen due to the romance which I'm sure will blossom after the pep talk I gave Nemu, then the two will become more devoted to their research. Mayu-" Yumichika stopped himself. He only just realized he'd gotten carried away and called Mayuri a freak of nature (which he was, and Yumichika wasn't about to take that back). He normally didn't refer to captains he didn't respect properly, or refer to Mayuri at all if he could help it, but in the presence of someone so mannered, he felt he had to. "Captain Kurotsuchi has made it clear he hates Nemu being so bored all the time, at least I gathered that much from talking to her all night."

"Is that why you have bags under your eyes?" Ikkaku grinned at the surprised face of the beauty, trying to get back at him for not listening earlier.

"Y-you noticed? If you noticed then that means that anyone would notice! I can't be out in public like this! Th-this is horrible!" Yumichika ran out without another word.

"What was all that about?" Retsu was dumbfounded, and a little sorry for Isane.

"Well. . . It was about Yumichika," Ikkaku shrugged his shoulders, as if this type of thing was just natural and it was strange to even be asked about it.

"Now, hold on a minute! You're explaining to me what you did, and why, and I don't understand any of this!"

"Um. . ." Ikkaku scratched his nose in thought. "Come to think of it, I promised my lieutenant I would play with her today, so I've gotta go," and with that he ran out in much the same way as his best friend.

"Liar!" Retsu shouted after him, being so caught up in the moment that she allowed herself that little outburst, but didn't chase him down. She'd find out in due time, she figured.

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	60. Chapter 60

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At the end of a six-hour session with Nemu, Hanataro had managed to nick her arm once, getting pretty beat up in the process, but at least he could control his zanpakuto enough to cut with it, on occasion. It was luck at this point whether or not his zanpakuto would inflict any damage when he wanted it to, and he decided he wouldn't try to heal with it until he really understood the complicated mechanics of the weapon.

"You're doing well, Hanataro," Nemu said softly, comforting him as he was trying to catch his breath from the sparring. As expected from a lieutenant and artificial human, she hadn't even broken a sweat.

"You don't have to say that," Hanataro mumbled. "I know I'm not good," he looked depressed when he said so, and after Nemu only recently rising above her prolonged melancholy, she was about to step in with a few words of encouragement. She hadn't ever made a sincere effort to cheer anyone up since early childhood, but that wouldn't stop her from at least trying. "Yet. I will be after practice, I'm sure of it."

Nemu smiled a bit and nodded to encourage him. Before she could think of any pointers to help him, her father walked in.

Mayuri had left about three minutes into the session, and him joining them signaled the end of the session. "All right, Nemu. That is all we're going to be doing with this pest."

Hanataro was gasping for air for all the effort he had put into what he had done, but Nemu simply bowed and said that she understood, walking over to her father right after and he left the room with no time to comment on Hanataro, even if she had anything to say. Mayuri was no longer interesting to him, so he didn't wish to waste his breath.

"Are you okay?" Akon felt compelled to ask, not following the gorgeous Nemu because her father would easily notice his googly eyes (and side effect could result in, but were not limited to, spontaneous death).

"N-no," Hanataro panted. He wasn't, either. His legs were too tired to stand, his arms were exhausted and his hands were so worked that they couldn't hold his zanpakuto without dropping it anymore. He silently thanked a divinity for Nemu being more understanding than her father.

The horned man walked over and helped Hanataro up, supporting him and carrying his zanpakuto. "I'll take you to your room, it's still the old one in the fourth division's barracks, right?"

Hanataro would have normally insisted that the distance was too long to bother with, and he would be fine, but he didn't have the energy to argue. "Y-yes, it wasn't moved."

"All right, good," Akon replied. He was smiling, which was unheard of so far as Hanataro had seen him. Always he appeared to be completely engrossed in his work, to fascinated in reading the piles upon piles of data that he'd accumulated to bother with his emotions.

Not only was he smiling though, he looked positively giddy, like a kid in a candy store. He laughed to himself every now and then while he helped Hanataro out of the lab, though he assured the other that it was nothing. After they'd reached the streets though, on the long way from the twelfth division's base of operations to the fourth division's barracks, Akon was too anxious to keep everything to himself. "She's really something, isn't she?"

"Nemu?" Hanataro asked, still having a hard time breathing, and practically being dragged along the way by the scientist, who was too elated to notice.

"I've never seen her so happy," Akon said, going on without confirming or denying directly that he was talking about Nemu, but that was the only girl Hanataro even saw working in the twelfth division (though those lab coats would cover any curves, and there were deformities abound, so he couldn't be sure either way).

"Yeah, me neither," Hanataro replied, clearly exasperated.

"I wonder why she's happy though," Akon was musing and more or less speaking to himself. A similarity he had with his captain, Hanataro surmised. They didn't need company, especially when they were perfectly content in talking to themselves. "It's this way, right?" Akon asked, pointing to the left as they came to a street that led three different ways.

"No, to the right," Hanataro corrected. The scientist turned, clearly not minding that he needed to be guided. Seireitei was a maze even for people who have lived here for years, and with Akon being inside laboratories most of the time, he wasn't expected to know which way to get where.

They took a few wrong turns because of Hanataro's exhaustion had made him very confused, but eventually they ran into the right room and by the time they did, Hanataro wasn't as physically drained as he had been. He stood on his own legs for the first time since he'd finished his training and bowed respectfully to Akon, thinking to himself that Ikkaku had nothing on Nemu in terms of being ruthless. "Thank you very much for a the help."

The horned scientist snapped out of a reverie and nodded. "It was no problem." He turned to walk away, but as he did, he ran right into Ikkaku. He had to learn not to day-dream while he was trying to walk.

It's common knowledge that the fourth division is bullied by the eleventh because both of those divisions run into each other in the open very often, but not so many are aware of the eleventh division's acute hatred of the twelfth division. They were stuck up scientists who never poked their head out of their lab, if they could help it, and that was one thing that the eleventh division absolutely could not stand.

"H-hey, I-i-ikkaku," Akon stuttered, backing up a bit. He'd heard that the third seat's temper was as bad as his captain's. At the moment he tried to make amends with everything in his life, because if the rumors that he had accidentally heard were true, he was dead.

"Oh, hey," he replied, seeing the door to Hanataro's apartment open. "Why are you here?"

"J-just helping Mr. Yamada home, that's all," he nervously scratched the back of his head, and nearly had a heart attack with he felt Ikkaku's calloused fist close around the neck of his clothes and bring him in threateningly close to the man's face.

"You wouldn't be one of the ones who put him through hell at that damn place now, would you?"

"Ikkaku!" Akon faintly heard Hanataro's voice over the pounding of his heart.

"What, he works for Mayuri, so he must be a jackass," Ikkaku loosened his grip on Akon's clothes and whined.

"Put him down!" Hanataro shouted and walked over, being much too tired to run, and glared at his boyfriend. "Akon's been nothing but nice to me! Except for all those questions, those were one big headache. . . But no! Put him down."

Ikkaku let him go that instant. "Oh, so you're Akon?"

Hoping sincerely that being himself was a good thing, Akon nodded.

"What are these?" Ikkaku grabbed one of the horns on his forehead. "Do those come off?"

"N-no! Ow! Stop that!" Akon tried to wave Ikkaku off him, but it wasn't that easy.

"Why the hell does Nemu like you with these things on your face?"

"W-what?" Akon blushed, and ignored as Ikkaku poked and prodded at the horns.

"She was supposed to talk to you today," Ikkaku sighed, but he was too interested in the horns growing on the man's head to really be interested in talking about something so trivial as someone else's romance.

"Wait, what?" Akon slapped Ikkaku's hand down, feeling certain that Hanataro was there to protect him, and pressed for answers. "What do you mean she was supposed to tell me?"

"Ow," Ikkaku rubbed his hand and glared at the scientist. "She likes you, though with that attitude I'm not sure why."

"You're one to talk!" Akon yelled at the third seat. "You've destroyed buildings when you chase your lieutenant!"

"That was only twice – or, three times, no, wait." Ikkaku scratched his head and began counting on his fingers.

"Ikkaku! What are you talking about?" Hanataro pressed, curiosity infecting him now.

"That's for me to know and you guys to find out," Ikkaku smiled. "But, you're just lucky Hanataro jumped in and told me your name," Ikkaku looked at Akon. "Because I don't much like twelfth division misfits."

"Ikkaku, be nice!" Hanataro yelled and hit the back of his boyfriend's bald head.

"Abuse," Ikkaku whined, though the hit was more like a light tap. "You're abusive."

Akon, while the two quarreled, felt it wise to shrink away before Ikkaku changed his mind about sparing him, eleventh division brutes were known for their impulsiveness, after all. "Hey!" Before Akon got very far, Ikkaku noticed him.

"Y-yeah?"

"You better be going to Nemu, I didn't meet up with that Rin guy at like two in the damn morning to find out you got a little crush on her, and have Yumichika talk to her all night so she'd admit she likes you too, for you guys to be shy and not say anything to each other."

Akon blushed again. "Y-you did what?"

"I thought you said that was for you to know and for us to find out?" Hanataro teased.

"Dammit," Ikkaku cursed at himself. "Well, you found out, now get your skinny ass over to Nemu and tell her, 'fore I get pissed off at you."

That was probably a good idea, Akon thought, and scurried away without another word. As if the news of Nemu liking him wasn't enough motivation, Ikkaku was too scary not to listen to.

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	61. Chapter 61

I made Yumichika too awesome so far. This chapter makes him human.

Yay.

I do intend on finishing this story for my own piece of mind, guys. Sorry for being so . . . Pathetic.

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It was funny how Yumichika had a thousand problems of his own and never dealt with them with the efficiency he felt himself able to deal with the problems of others. He didn't have to think twice when he saw Nemu and Akon speak once to see that glint in their eyes (Ikkaku noticing the same was more than likely caused by all the time they'd spent together, they just thought like one another if the wanted to), that of infatuation, and he didn't have to have any more than a few words of encouragement from Ikkaku to jump in and give them a push. He didn't have to sit for hours to realize the anger Mayuri had was rooted from both confusion and annoyance like some might have. No longer than it took to speak with someone for a few minutes did it take before Yumichika discerned many things about them. That's how he'd always been, a true gossip at heart, with a fleeting interest in live-and-learn psychology.

He wanted to know everything about someone else, and for the most part ignore himself. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he was beautiful, and therefore amazing, but at the same time he didn't like to think of his own problems nearly as much as he liked to think about others. Less was at sake when he focused on Ikkaku with his pipsqueak of a boyfriend then when he thought of his own obsession with Izuru.

Ikkaku deserved a lot of credit for all he was putting into his relationship with Hanataro, being patient and trying his best to be caring. He wasn't patient by rule, and even if he cared, he wasn't caring. Never would Yumichika discount that effort put into his relationship, but he wouldn't use the two as a model (despite how happy they were). Izuru was different from Hanataro, and Yumichika was different from Ikkaku. That was the reason that Yumichika wouldn't even think of making his move quite yet.

It was a simple matter to push together two people who had mutual attraction, but Izuru still seemed embarrassed about their drunken one night stand. The blond kept his distance and tried his damnedest to make any conversation with the beauty, or Ikkaku, as short as possible before scurrying away. So, that was one complication. Then, the second being Izuru was more interested in running his division than any type of romance, and he had said so openly.

His dilemma with the object of his affections was the reason that he felt he should start to distract Isane with Shunsui – her empathy was something to behold. Legends had been built on less, and he didn't feel like testing his luck with her. That, and she needed to have someone more than a friend to listen to all her problems and push her along with right path, and even though she was very pretty, Yumichika wasn't interested in any type of romance with her, nor was he interested in her advice.

He dished out his opinions and advice like a soccer mom would cake at a birthday party, giving it to people who didn't even ask or don't want it. But he wouldn't take advice if his life depended on it, he didn't like to be told what to do or how he should go about something. There were certain things that he could suffer through despite his hate for them, but listening to someone else pontificate and condescend to him wasn't one of them.

It was strange, though. Nemu, he had decided, is a special case. She did nothing but spout her beliefs last night, beliefs that he dismissed as just self-serving ideas implanted by Mayuri taking the guise of self-righteous idealism. Even if she lived by those beliefs they meant next to nothing to Yumichika, though he didn't mind when she preached them.

By no means would he adopt that philosophy, or even begin to start trying to make everyone happy at his own expense (or, make the most important groups happy at his own expense), but he couldn't forget her words, or her perfect green eyes that seemed so sincere when she began speaking freely, as it comes so easily when talking about your own personal truths, nor could he forget that slight blush on her face when he kept pressing her to talk. Her nervous habit of biting her lip, her eventual twiddling of her thumbs, and finally her admitting that she did in fact have a crush on Akon, not that he really needed her to say that.

Well, why couldn't he forget those things? They're in the past, he's not even interested in Nemu for anything more than a doll to practice on, make-over wise, so why should he even care what she had to say?

"_Even if I told you who I liked, it wouldn't matter."_

He remembered her saying that softly, with a pink blush on her pale skin, slightly swollen bottom lip from all her biting, and a bashful avoidance of meeting eyes. But there was absolute certainty in her voice.

"_Now why would you not tell me if it doesn't matter?" _Yumichika had asked, humoring what she had said.

"_Because it would be telling you something that you didn't need to know, just like if I told you my favorite color is purple, or my favorite food is pike. What would it matter who I like when nothing could be done about it?"_

"_Who said nothing would be done?" _Yumichika had teased her, and her remembered her priceless expression. She was surprised at him, because she understood the implications weren't just talking, they were sincere just as she was.

"_My father would never approve!"_

"_You've asked him, then?"_

"_Have you ever had to ask Ikkaku if he wanted to drop fighting all together?" She shot back, trying to make him understood how out of the question it would be to ask her father such a thing._

"_Twice."_

"_W-what?"_

"_Asking never hurt anyone."_

"_You don't know my father."_

"_And I hope I don't have to meet him any time soon."_

"_Don't be so... So... Rude!"_

"_It's truthful. I'm not interested in science, though we share a bout of sadism, that's the only aspect of myself I see in him. I don't want to meet someone so different, all we'll do is argue because he doesn't understand me and I don't care to understand him."_

_Nemu bite her lip again, Yumichika at this point was painting her toenails, finally having the dead skin removed. They'd talked all night about almost nothing, very few times making her feel like she had to defend herself or anyone else, but she couldn't let him speak derogatorily about her father. "Fine, then don't meet him."_

"_Who was it you said you liked?"_

"_I-i... Nothing."_

"_Akon, right?"_

"_How did you know?"_

"_It's just written in your eyes. Your pretty eyes. It's a good thing you don't have blue eyes, because then I'd be able to read into you even more freely. Did you know blue eyes are the easiest to read?"_

_And just like that the topic was changed again, having a verbal confirmation to what he already knew._

Don't be so rude, don't talk about people without knowing them, blah, blah, blah. Yumichika wondered how many more times he'd run into that before it finally went away. How arrogant are people? The less time you spend around someone, the less biased you're likely to get and the more clear your judgment about that person will be. To take into account why someone was a jackass doesn't change the fact that they're a jackass, and the more you know about the person's past, the more likely you are to be lenient with them. He's identified problems with Mayuri that Nemu never will, because she loves him too much to see those faults.

Yet, even as she spoke arrogantly to defend her father, Yumichika forgave that easily. If anyone else had done it, he might've held a grudge on them for the length of his indefinite life. Is it because she spoke from her heart? Absolutely not. That's too cheesy. More than likely, it's because she honestly didn't know any different, and a combination of feeling sorry for her and thinking she's pretty made him able to look past her more annoying habits. No one ever said he was fair, and he didn't even try to bullshit himself into thinking that.

That apprehensiveness she had towards talking to Akon was cute. She bit her lip just like Izuru always did around Yumichika.

Wait.

Maybe that's why he was so quick to brush the incident under the table.

And maybe if he could send Nemu off to talk to a lab accident, then he could possibly maybe talk to Izuru... Maybe. He'd make it to the third divisions barracks at least this time... Hopefully.

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Random subplots are fun, yes?


	62. Chapter 62

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"You didn't have to scare him away!" Hanataro scolded Ikkaku.

"Well, he doesn't have to be a freak," Ikkaku defended himself, albeit poorly.

"That's not nice!"

"Did you see him?"

Hanataro crossed his arms and went to lay down on the bed, showing Ikkaku that the conversation wouldn't progress as such if he was going to be so . . . Well, himself.

"Hanataro, don't be mad at me," Ikkaku whined, following his boyfriend over to the bed.

"I'm going to sleep, I'm too tired to talk to you."

"You're making me sound like the bad guy."

"You're being mean to Akon, he was only helping me home."

"B-but," Ikkaku bit his tongue to stop himself. He could hate the twelfth division from the depths of his soul, but there's no point in arguing with someone like Hanataro over the issue. "Fine, fine. My bad."

"Are you feeling all right, Ikkaku?" Hanataro sat up in the bed. Did Ikkaku just admit he was wrong? The fatigue that he had melted away, replaced by concern.

"Yeah," Ikkaku replied. "it doesn't matter, you win, leave it alone."

Is he delirious? "Ikkaku . . . Do you have a fever or anything?"

"No, I'm fine. I promise," he said, and crawled into bed. Yumichika had beat a fair few things into his head while Hanataro was away, the biggest being he should keep his mouth shut when it came to arguing with his boyfriend. At least not his normal yelling and threatening-type arguing (and that was the only type of arguing he knew about).

"If you say so... But stop by the hospital tomorrow just to be sure."

"I don't want to," Ikkaku replied and wrapped his arms around Hanataro, pulling him close. "Shouldn't you be sleeping, Mr. I'm too Tired to Walk Home By Myself?"

"Well, you're worrying me. How can I sleep when you're being so weird?"

"I'm weird? You're the one defending the horned freak of nature-"

"Nope, you're back to normal now," Hanataro smiled, letting the jab go because Akon wasn't around to have his feelings hurt.

"How long till you're out of that damned place? I can't even go to see you. I would try, but . . . They're all too... Creepy."

"I don't think I'm going back anymore," Hanataro answered, silently thanking the gods for their sudden show of mercy now.

"Why do you say that?"

Hanataro definitely didn't want to go into detail, talking about how Mayuri was chucking a scythe at him, but there was no harm to telling the basic parts. "Well, I can cut with my zanpakuto, so Mayuri's bored with me."

"You can?"

"Kind of," Hanataro yawned.

"Kind of?"

"It's... Hard to explain."

"If you can cut with it then you can cut, and if you can't you can't, what's this 'kind of' shit mean?"

"It means sometimes it'll cut and most of the time it won't."

"I'm even more confused."

"Well, I'm going to bed, and I'll show you later."

"You know damn well we're training tomorrow, right?"

"B-but-"

"Now, now. You just said that you were going to bed, so go to bed."

Yep, Ikkaku's perfectly back to normal if he wasn't acting himself before.

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In the morning, Hanataro left before Ikkaku even thought about getting up. He found his way to the top floor of the hospital where Retsu's office was located, sitting on a chair by the secretary's desk and waiting for her to dismiss whomever she already had in her room before entering. The secretary herself was a very sweet woman, with short mousy brown hair, pale skin and big dark brown eyes, all of which made talking with her come as easily as breathing. She just radiated friendlyness, and Hanataro never objected to conversation with her. That was even more true considering his alternative would be silence until Retsu would see him.

"How have the new recruits been doing?" Hanataro asked to get the conversation going.

"Well, they aren't adapting nearly as fast as the last batch, but you didn't train them as much either," she smiled, sorting through papers as she spoke. The fourth division had nearly ten times as much paperwork as any of the other divisions seeing as they took care of everyone's health records and what not. Doing work was a necessity, and no one minded speaking to someone as they looked over paperwork in this division, even though it would be rude in others.

"I'm sure that's not the reason," Hanataro blushed and pushed the comment away.

"I'm sure that it is the reason," she smiled, her painted pink lips curling upwards cutely towards some dimples. "But that's neither here nor there. Maybe you should take to training them again?"

"But, they're already so far along."

"Just a thought, dear," she dismissed it, and then reminded Hanataro of her status as the biggest, and most well-informed, gossip in the division. "So, how are you and Ikkaku doing?"

Hanataro's cheek's flushed pink as her lips. "Nana, do you always have to ask questions about my personal life?"

"Of course!" She replied, her big brown eyes lighting up. "What's he like?"

"Um..." There weren't words to give Ikkaku a just description that Hanataro could conjure. His pause saved him from answering that question, though, as Nana had many more she wanted answered.

"Does he still drink a lot?"

"He goes out with Yumichika and Iba every now and then," Hanataro replied, though it just occurred to him that in the past few weeks Ikkaku hadn't even been doing that.

"Is he an obnoxious drunk?"

"He doesn't really get drunk, he just drinks," Hanataro stared at his feet, fidgeting nervously. He didn't like being questioned one bit, it made him uncomfortable.

"He's a jerk, though," she said, not really meaning anything by it. She spoke her mind and said things in a blunt manner, not caring to sugar-coat her words, though it constantly got her in trouble.

"He is not!" Hanataro said adamantly. "You've never even talked to him, have you?"

"Hanataro, I didn't mean anything-"

"Forget it," he said softly. "I didn't mean to yell."

"I thought it was cute," she said brightly, in her own way telling Hanataro that she didn't mind the little outburst.

"C-cute?" Hanataro was of a different mind entirely, but if he hadn't dug a hole yet, he would with arguing. This one he would let go without much protest.

The door to Retsu's office opened, and Nana went back to her files as if that had been her only preoccupation, merely nodding her head to say it was okay to go inside. Hanataro stood, but his legs by no means were healed sufficiently. It still took considerable effort to walk without his knees buckling under him. For a moment he felt like he'd fall back down, but he managed to walk inside his true captain's office, only slouching a little more than normal. A number of new recruits walked past him, looking to all eyes like whipped dogs.

Once the door closed behind him, Retsu spoke. "Don't worry, they were just pulling pranks on officers of another division. They aren't in too much trouble yet."

"W-who are they pulling pranks on?" Hanataro asked, a little bewildered as all the recruits that he trained were timid, not really the trouble making type.

"Your report on your stay with Captain Kurotsuchi," Retsu said calmly while working on some mundane reports. Hanataro made note that she was normal, though in the most aggravating way. Those were his former students, and he was concerned with their behavior. However, he had to focus on work and what not here, and ask Nana for gossip later.

"O-oh. Right, I can use my zanpakuto to cut now... Um, kind of."

"Kind of?"

"It only works sometimes," Hanataro clarified in the same way that he had to Ikkaku.

"Why?"

That was something he hardly understood, but he remembered well enough his conversation with Mayuri, and began to repeat everything the captain had said, as best as he could remember. Maybe it would make more sense to Retsu than it did him.

"So your emotions come into play whether or not it cuts?" She didn't have the slightest infliction in her voice, but she was mentally thanking whatever divinity that was in charge of things in the afterlife that Hanataro had come back relatively unharmed.

"Is that what it means?"

"I'd say so. He said you cut him because you hate him, but you need the intent to kill as well. That's a problem, because you don't possess the ability to manifest those emotions at will. You're the type of person who would sooner let a mosquito suck your blood than crush it," she sighed. "So now I believe someone else should have to train you until you can find ways to make your zanpakuto cut. Can you manifest the spirit at will?"

"N-no."

"Have you talked to it?"

"Rarely," he said sheepishly. "Only to hear its name, nothing else really."

"That's a bit of a problem. If you could speak to the spirit, then maybe we could make more use of the information that Captain Kurotsuchi uncovered."

"Ikkaku's training me, and he says he talks to his zanpakuto spirit all the time... Or actually, argues with it all the time, anyways. Maybe he could-"

Retsu smiled a bit. "When your spirit was manifested by Muramasa, it was a lot like you, wasn't it?"

"Y-yes, and Captain Kurotsuchi said it's reflective of my personality."

"What about Ikkaku's zanpakuto?"

"It's opposite him in a lot of ways," Hanataro replied. Just from hearing Ikkaku yell at it, he gathered that the spirit was lazy and has long hair (which for some reason, annoyed Ikkaku to extreme extents). Once Ikkaku called him a copy-cat for stealing his lucky dance, too.

"Well, either way, he might be able to help you with you zanpakuto." Only then did Hanataro realize that Retsu was trying to cast doubt on Ikkaku's ability to be helpful here. After all, Ikkaku and his zanpakuto spirit would both be inherently frightening to Hanataro if he weren't familiar with them, just as they certainly will be to his own zanpakuto spirit.

However, despite her doubt, Hanataro realized the last thing Captain Unohana said was a compliment to Ikkaku. Why would she, of all people, compliment Ikkaku?

"What's wrong?" Retsu asked, looking up from her paperwork, pretending to not know why Hanataro was confused. Knowing too much and predicting the feelings of others, though simple, made one seem presumptuous. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"N-nothing, Captain!" He replied dutifully, and averted his eyes.

She gave him a chance to share with her what he was feeling, but she knew without him having to say anything. She paused for only a moment to weigh her options, but felt that she might as well explain her sudden change of behavior. "I helped Ikkaku fix some faulty pipes the day before yesterday," she smiled at Hanataro's surprise. "He's strange, but I know him a little better now."

"Wait – Ikkaku was here . . . talking with you? Again?"

"Yes," she said calmly.

"Did he do anything... Um... Well... Stupid?" Hanataro feared the answer to the question, even though Retsu was smiling. Who knows what Ikkaku could have done in the time Hanataro wasn't around?

"A few things."

"I-i'll make sure he doesn't bother you again, Captain-"

"I liked his company," she stopped him short. "For a little while, that is. Besides, he was very useful. He spent a whole afternoon after work fixing various things around this building. That's certainly nothing to reprimand him for."

"His lieutenant and him fight a lot," Hanataro explained, knowing that was the reason for Ikkaku's fatigue the greatest part of the time.

"That would explain how all those bite marks got there," she laughed a bit. Hanataro was so surprised he didn't know what to say. She wasn't mad at all at Ikkaku's brute behavior, and instead amused by it. She even chuckled. Maybe he and Karma had worked out some deal or something? He didn't know what to say, or do, so he defaulted by telling the obligatory report in full of his stay at the twelfth division and excusing himself with a bow.

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How does everyone like my return? I know it's not my first time falling off the face of the Earth and coming back, but I hope to do better now. Two updates a week is what I'm shooting for, even though I may fall short of that every now and then. If you're still interested, it would mean a lot to me to get a PM or something saying so. :)


	63. Chapter 63

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It was time to do the unthinkable. Ikkaku stood at the entrance of the main dojo where Kenpachi's office (or, as dubbed by his bubbly unofficial daughter, nap room) was located. If he knew Hanataro was with Retsu at the same time, he would have been perversely amused at their synchronicity. He was a few steps behind, though, as he couldn't even bring himself to enter the building. It wasn't a question of whether he felt that he could or couldn't do something, because he knew that he had to. Just open the door, walk down the hall, open another door and talk to his idol and role model, Kenpachi. Nothing he hasn't done before, a million times, no less. Just... Reach out... And open the damn door. What was the worst that could happen?

"Hey Baldy!" Yachiru jumped on his shoulder, bubbly as ever. "Wanna play today?"

"I can't, Lieutenant," he replied, glaring at the door for not opening itself so he didn't have to wage this war on himself. Now he had opened the question of what was the worst that could happen, and that was an unfortunate question to ponder. The worst that could happen was much gory than Ikkaku had pictured his day going.

"How come?" She pouted and crossed her arms, not noticing how focused Ikkaku was. She never claimed to be overly perceptive, especially while hyped up on sugar and looking for a suitable play mate.

"Because I can't," he repeated without giving her detail. He was annoyed at her asking, and she was annoyed at his dismissive behavior. Already they were at odds.

"Why are you just standing here?" she asked now, wanting to know what was so very important that it kept him from playing with her.

"I have to talk to Captain."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Tell me why, you meanie chrome dome!" she said, instantly enraged and prepared to sink her teeth into her insubordinate officer.

"I... I can't," Ikkaku squeaked. Dammit, he thought to himself. He was going soft. That was _not _okay, not in the least. He wanted to be able to relate to Hanataro and be friendly, but he didn't want to be soft. Especially not around his Lieutenant. He had to defend himself, even if weakly, from his previous (spineless) statement. "I mean, I don't know how to explain it."

"Try," Yachiru told him, as unhelpful and probing as ever.

"Fine, I want to talk to Captain before he hunts me down and skins me alive."

"Kenny's too impatient to skin you alive," she pointed out, not addressing the overall fear of being killed.

"I didn't say he would do a good job at it," Ikkaku shrugged, getting side-tracked now.

"True. Well, if he wants to kill you, why are you going to him? He probably wouldn't find you if you hid." The first real point of the day from Yachiru, Ikkaku noted, still as unhelpful as would be expected.

"I'm not going to hide!" Ikkaku hissed

"If you wanna die, there are simpler ways," she pointed out. "Plus, Kenny might be sad if he has to kill you for real."

"We haven't talked in almost a month!" Ikkaku exclaimed. Missing out on his Zaraki time was really affecting his mood, too. "We used to hang out every afternoon, and I can't just let it keep going on like this." Ikkaku pinched the bridge of his nose in order to calm himself down. He shouldn't get so worked up before he visited his captain, but there was no way to keep himself from getting frustrated if he were talking to Yachiru. Suddenly he remembered what he went through a week of torture for, and decided to ask, "What did you tell Captain when I told you to talk to him for me, anyways?"

Suddenly, Yachiru was uncharacteristically nervous."U-um, gotta go!" She jumped from Ikkaku's shouldder and tried to get away before there could be any more questions about the incident in question. When something as important to Ikkaku as this came up, however, Ikkaku wasn't going to lose to his Lieutenant's attitude or her silly games. He grabbed her by the collar of her outfit before she was an arms reach away and held her at eye level with him. There was a nervous sort of guilt that was written all over her face, with shifting eyes and twiddling thumbs to complete the admission wordlessly that she had made a mistake somewhere along the line.

"Lieutenant..." Ikkaku glared with his piercing eyes, and the young girl continued to twiddle her fingers and pretend she didn't hear the menacing infliction in her subordinate's voice. Actually, she pretended that she didn't hear him at all, as she didn't give him an answer. "Lieutenant," he repeated darkly.

Finally, Yachiru answered him in a voice that was trying very hard not to betray her. The casual tone she used was all the more insulting to Ikkaku's ears. "Well, I told Kenny to just let you two run your course 'cause you've never been with anyone for longer than a week."

"You what?" Ikkaku dropped her and stared wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry! That's what it looked like!" She crossed her arms and pouted, indignant. Normally she would've lashed out at anyone who did the least bit of scolding towards her, and would defend herself tooth and nail, but this was one time where she knew that she'd made a mistake and not cleaned up after herself. Honestly, Ikkaku had never given her the impression that he was capable of caring about someone more than a sort of family connection, so she'd said what she thought was best to keep everyone happy for as long as it took. At this point, after seeing how much her Baldy had changed, and how much he cared about his boyfriend, she knew that it wasn't a passing relationship. It wasn't one of those things that would be over before it began like all the others Ikkaku had in the past, but before how was she supposed to know? Even Yumichika agreed that she was probably right when she'd told him early on what she told Kenpachi.

"I'm dead," Ikkaku mumbled under his breath, holding his head in his hand, but all Yachiru heard, with her inner monologue going on and distracting her, was "dead." Thinking that it was directed at her, she got nervous, though she knew Ikkaku wouldn't honestly do anything to hurt her. The word stung enough to spur her into action.

"D-don't be mad! I'll fix it, Baldy!"

"How do you figure that?" He peeked through his hand to see the child looking up at him, seeming for once to be sincere.

"Well, bring Flowers here and I'll make it better."

"No," he said quickly. Kenpachi was just as likely to hold a sword to Hanataro's throat as to Ikkaku's.

"Then..." She thought for a moment. "I'll talk to him again! I promise-"

"I'll talk to him, Lieutenant," he cut off, glaring daggers at her. "Your 'help' put me in this situation, so don't help again."

"B-but, Baldy," she was plainly upset. There were times when she would completely ignore her subordinates, and Ikkaku is one of those whom she almost never listened to. At the same time, however, he and Yumichika are the two whom she cares about the most in the division besides her adoptive father. They were her new family, since only having a dad was too lonesome, and she'd never had any real family.

Ikkaku had no new-found resolve, but he at least wanted to get away from Yachiru while he was mad at her before he said something he shouldn't. Even if she did something that annoyed him, he knew full well that he would forgive her as soon as he left her company, but he didn't want to do anything that would make him the one who needed forgiving in the meantime. To prevent his mouth from getting him in trouble, he walked down the hallway to his captain's "office" (if he could call it that in good conscience), noting that nothing had changed in his time away from the room. Knocking was unheard of in his division, and honestly too much formality was something that pissed Kenpachi off rather than pleased him, so once Ikkaku confirmed that there was no spiritual pressure emanating from the room besides Kenpachi's, he opened the door and invited himself in.

"Hey, Captain," he said, thinking to himself he sounded a bit nervous. He really hoped that it wasn't obvious to Kenpachi.

Kenpachi had been laying down, though not sleeping. He sat up and stretched a bit, as though there were no problems between them. "Don't you ever knock?" he asked, obviously in jest.

"Only on a lady's door," Ikkaku smiled, "I mean, you have long hair, but that's about it." The smile Ikkaku wore was returned by his captain, and even a chuckle was rewarded for the jape for a moment before he yawned and that long frown, which seemed perpetually painted on his face when he wasn't pleased by something, came about.

"I assume since you're here, you're done with that loser from four?" he asked right out of the gate. Ikkaku frowned. The tone Kenpachi was using seemed to make it very clear that he didn't expect any answer from his officer besides: "Of course, Captain."

Denying Hanataro was the furthest thing from Ikkaku's mind, despite his captain's obvious desire for it. In fact, the very thought of it put Ikkaku in a very defensive and even volatile mood. "The hell do you mean by that?"

"So, I'll take that as a no?" Kenpachi narrowed his eyes but otherwise looked indifferent. Ikkaku wore his usual pissed off at the world expression with the unusual focus for his displeasure being Kenpachi.

"I'd just really like to know why you think you've got any business getting into _my_ business, especially when it comes to who I choose to see on my hours off."

"Well, that would be fine if he wasn't such a little wimp," Kenpachi said firmly, not out of hatred but merely reinforcing a rule he had thought was clear. "I don't like weak guys."

"Good thing you're not dating him then, right?" Ikkaku shot back.

"You don't want to put me in a bad mood," Kenpachi said, threat lacing his voice.

The threat made clear in Kenpachi's tone sent a shiver down Ikkaku's spine, despite how hard he tried to seem unfazed. His frown deepened and he looked Kenpachi in the eye for what seemed like minutes before he asked, "Why exactly do you care?"

That simple question caught Kenpachi off guard. He expected an acidic response and a back and forth exchanging of threats, promises and insults. "Because you're sentimental."

"_I'm _sentimental, Captain?" Ikkaku asked, not believing the words he heard Kenpachi say.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Yes! Every single fucking time you start seeing someone, they dump you and you mope around for weeks, sometimes months! Did you forget Maki Ichinose? He dumped you then left the Soul Society and you were sadder than Izuru for a month. Fucking hell!" Kenpachi exclaimed. Maybe Ikkaku never considered it because he had committed relationships with others so infrequently that he hadn't thought about how he reacted to those types of situations.

"Even if I am sentimental," Ikkaku began. "Which I'm _not_, but even if I was, I still deserve to try." He balled his fists and looked away. "I never felt so strongly for someone before, either. Honestly."

"For a pup?" Kenpachi asked. He couldn't believe the conversation he was having with his third seat right now, he didn't even want to believe it. "I will not watch you tear up because some _runt_ from a useless division leaves you!"

"Then fucking don't!" Ikkaku said suddenly and stood up, like he was about to leave.

"Are you serious? Sit the fuck back down," Kenpachi said with force but not volume.

The beating of his heart kept Ikkaku from really hearing what Kenpachi just said. Though all he did was stand and turn towards the door, he knew that his actions spoke something different. To both himself and Kenpachi, he said that Hanataro was more important than his captain without words. "Captain . . ." Ikkaku said without certainty. What did he really want? What did he really mean? "I . . ."

"What? Does a cat got your tongue?" Kenpachi teased, but there was a tension in the air that couldn't be erased by the ill tempered joke.

"I don't want to leave your leadership, no matter what, but," Ikkaku paused for a long time. "I love Hanataro."

"You what?" Kenpachi asked, his eyes widening. He had heard Ikkaku talk out of his ass plenty of times, but he'd never heard Ikkaku say something like that. Once Yumichika confided in Kenpachi while they were drinking that Ikkaku had never told anyone he loved them before, and Kenpachi thought that if anyone in all the worlds knew that information besides Ikkaku, it would be his best friend.

Taking a deep breath, Ikkaku sat down. He surprised himself by saying what he did, but it was true. He'd felt it for a while now, but he hadn't even told Yumichika his realization yet. To say it to Captain first, it seemed strange, but oddly refreshing to have it off his chest. He sat down on the tatami mat facing Kenpachi again. "I really do. I love him."

There was silence in the room for a long time as Kenpachi thought about what Ikkaku had said. "Well then, I want to meet this loser."

Though it was obvious now that Kenpachi said that to get on Ikkaku's nerves and for no other reason, Ikkaku wasn't about to hear it. "Don't call him a loser. And who are you, my mother? Why the hell should I bring him to you for you to meet him? He's my boyfriend, and you don't have any business with him."

"Hey, hey, hey," Kenpachi said. He was grinning all of the sudden. "I didn't ask you to invite him for dinner one night this week. I want to meet him, especially if he's going to be an important part of your life. Anyone who has that honor, I feel that I should know. Especially because he's probably going to be around from now on."

Now that Kenpachi was so accepting, though Ikkaku thought it strange for him to understand so quickly, Ikkaku smiled and relaxed. It was a great thing to be back on good terms with his captain without sacrificing anything really. "So, what have I missed in the last month or so?"

"Hell, I could talk all day about that," Kenpachi said with a grin. That's exactly what he planned on doing, too.

"What a coincidence. I have all day to catch up."

"Good. One thing before we start, though," Kenpachi said, and his grin went away for a moment. "Even though you're with Hanataro, you don't think Yumichika is serious about having the fourth division hanging around here permanently, do you?"

Ikkaku scratched the back of his head and looked off to the side. "Well, that's one thing that I'm not so sure about. I'm with you pretty firmly on being against that, though."

"Really?" Kenpachi raised his eyebrow at Ikkaku.

"I don't want everyone to keep bullying the fourth division, but I still don't want them around! Yumichika gets a big head with so many weaklings that follow his orders without even thinking! And I don't even want to start and the hell he and Isane raise!"

"Actually, I wouldn't mind hearing about that. I've just been hearing rumors," Kenpachi answered/

"Okay, well get this shit . . ."

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Hey guys! I'm pretty pumped because so many of you guys are pumped. Writing this again is really fun knowing people still want to read it, so thanks to all you guys for reviewing. It means a lot.

Also, I don't have a beta. I'm going to look for one, as I'm not going to pretend I'm super good at catching mistakes (not in my own works, especially) and I've been reading my past chapters from long ago and they're full of little things that should be fixed. I'm not going to use all my free time fixing those things, because I would never be able to write more of the story that way, but I do want to prevent those things from plaguing the chapters I'm writing now.

If anyone wants to be my beta tester, I'd welcome a volunteer. Otherwise I'll just browse profiles for a while. It would be better if someone who has read this story offers to beta, though, as they will have context. Asking for a beta 63 chapters in might be . . . Difficult. Anyways, thanks again everyone!


	64. Chapter 64

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Things seemed to finally be back to normal for Hanataro. He was finally left to his cleaning chores without interruption for the first afternoon since the encounter with the 11th division's third seat those months ago. Well, at least, things were largely back to normal. For Hanataro, everything had been a little better than was normal, despite the trials and tribulation that surfaced in the wake of his nontraditional union with Ikkaku. There had been no more of the bullying by the eleventh division toward the fourth division since Hanataro had openly started dating Ikkaku-not even by the most rash and thoughtless eleventh division brute. Things were so good that a great majority of the new recruits in either of the rival divisions seemed to be fast friends, even outside of work.

Hanataro couldn't help but think that he would have to be a very selfish man to ask for anything better than what he'd gotten. Not a single care in the world could weigh on his shoulders now, he thought as he swept the streets. He knew no one would come up to him to bully him, and he also realized that even if someone were so foolish, he wouldn't be pushed around so easily. Things were good. The only thing he wanted for was Ikkaku's company, which he would have to wait about seven hours for.

In his musing on the present state of affairs, being as good as he could hope, he dimly caught someone yelling out a phrase over and over. The voice doing the yelling was distorted, probably because they were moving very fast, perhaps using Shunpo. In any event, Seireitei wasn't a quiet place most of the time, and Hanataro was able to very easily categorize the shouting as background noise and continue on with his sweeping. As the sound got closer, however, he was able to make out the words.

"Flowers! Flowers, where are you?" the voice seemed to say. Hanataro couldn't place the voice even though now that he heard it rather clearly, and it seemed very familiar. However, it was obviously the voice of a little girl, and he couldn't think right off the top of his head of any young girls he knew. Maybe the person who was shouting was a rather distant member of his division, though it was uncharacteristic for anyone of the fourth division to make a racket. He didn't fret about not being able to place the voice, though, and went on sweeping still. The shouting didn't stop, and rather it got progressively closer until he felt tiny feet land on his shoulders, carrying with them enough momentum to knock him down.

"Flowers!" Yachiru exclaimed, reminding Hanataro of the nickname he'd been given by the bubbly lieutenant. "You need to speak up when someone says your name. I've been calling for forever!"

"My bad, Lieutenant," Hanataro groaned in response, lying face down on the ground.

"Are you okay?" Yachiru chose now to sit on his back rather than step off of him. She was too used to the men of her division whose constitution held up to the abuse she dished out without even considering if there would be consequences, let alone what those may be.

"If you would get off, please, then I would be better," Hanataro answered.

She jumped off unceremoniously and pulled Hanataro to his feet, though he wasn't the most cooperative. Once he stood, he heard his back pop three different times, and not in a relieving way. Yachiru, however, didn't notice or, if she did, she didn't comment on it. "Flowers, we have to talk!" she sad, her face flushed as though she'd been crying. Hanataro dismissed that suspicion because of the sheer unlikeliness of that happening. Very few, if any, were stupid enough to make the lieutenant cry and even less were capable of devising a way. Besides being red in the face, she had a very serious air about her today, despite the cute nickname she was referring to him by.

"I'm working right now-" Hanataro tried to protest. He didn't want to be around Yachiru if her emotions were riding high-he didn't even like the roller coaster of whims that were normal for her. There weren't words enough to tell how much he didn't want to experience Yachiru when she was upset.

"I'll send someone else to do it!" she told him dismissively and grabbed his wrist in an iron grip that Hanataro knew he couldn't break if his life depended on it. Still, he tried to talk his way out of following her.

"I can't just leave," he protested. Just as one would expect, he was ignored and dragged behind the bubbly lieutenant. She led him down the street he had been sweeping, letting all his complaints fill the air without addressing any of them, making sharp turns impulsively with a very vague idea of where she needed to turn to get where she wanted to go. Her uncertainty was disquieting, seeing as Hanataro knew his captain wouldn't take shirking duties in stride, but there was very little to be done about it. Being the typical division four member, Hanataro didn't have the ability to wrench himself away from the combat division's lieutenant in any way except for maybe cutting his own arm off and running.

It didn't take long for Yachiru to tire of pulling Hanataro along. He stumbled and was slower than she by quite a bit, even though his legs were longer than hers by a lot. She wanted to take Hanataro somewhere to talk in private, so that she could "fix" him, and partially fix her earlier mistake. To get everything done quickly, Yachiru threw Hanataro over her shoulder and begun using Shunpo to get to her room, only getting lost for a moment. Though it was entirely by accident, one of her detours that took her the wrong way led her to some grunts of her division who were sparring. She sent them off to do Hanataro's job that she'd taken him from and then went back to her task of finding her room, finding it very soon after.

Yachiru's room was, predictably, painted with ten different shades of pink. Stencils of candies and flowers were painted in contrasting colors that clashed pretty badly with the pink backdrop, but Hanataro was sure that it looked exactly how Yachiru had asked for it to look. Whether it was a headache to stare at or not, she'd gotten what she wanted, and knowing her, it had probably been painted ten times before she really felt satisfied. Besides the clashing paint job, there was a bed fit for a queen, an elegant canopy and all, on the far side of the room. Lining the wall were toy chests made of plastic or hand painted wood, every one a unique blend of colors. A sea of toys, every kind that a kid could desire, was thrown about and left out of their assigned place. The only part of the floor that could be walked on without fear of treading on some precious teddy was a path that was carefully tended to from the door to a wooden table in the middle. Although it wasn't pink, there was very little concern in the room that was so full of clashing colors that Hanataro wouldn't doubt it was picked out by Yachiru specifically. Especially seeing as it had it's own space in the middle of the room, as if Yachiru loved it so much as to put it on display. She insisted that her guest come and sit at the table with her. Sitting on top of it was a plastic tea set that Hanataro saw in the human world being marketed to young girls all the time. If he remembered correctly, the character painted on the side was Hello Kitty.

Though he didn't want to sit, Hanataro wasn't given much of an option. Upon close inspection, some of the chairs were made wide enough to comfortably sit an adult, though they were low to the ground. He picked one built to hold someone older and looked at the table so that he didn't have to look at Yachiru. She had a habit of making him nervous.

While looking at the table, Hanataro noticed that the table was kept in very good condition. Though he could see where the paint had chipped at one point, it had been very carefully repainted by someone with a child's grace. Considering nothing else in the room was taken care of very well, Hanataro knew right away that this table in particular was very special to Yachiru, and he subconsciously scooted back from it, so he wouldn't cause even the least bit of damage to it.

"So," Yachiru started with some purpose, but stopped when she realized she hadn't served tea yet, and she quickly grabbed her tea pot to pour an imaginary cup for Hanataro. As she did so, she tried to make the sound of pouring with her voice, then repeated for herself. After being a proper hostess, she smiled at Hanataro, then quickly frowned. Her purpose was too serious for smiles.

"Are you feeling well, Lieutenant Kusajishi?" Hanataro asked, trying to be formal and put distance between himself and the child who had kidnapped him.

Not to be distracted, Yachiru looked at Hanataro with utmost solemnity. "Baldy likes you, you know."

For a moment, Hanataro was unsure of how to proceed. "Of course I know that," he replied. "I like him too."

"Not as much as he likes you!" Yachiru sat and slammed her fist on the table. It shook and her cup fell over. Though empty, it falling gave her a reason in her own mind to get very distressed. She got up and got a rag from a plastic kitchen set and pretended to clean the imaginary tea. Then she rung out the rag in the kitchen's play sink. Her childish imagination would have been amusing had Hanataro not been so concerned about the fact that he was at her mercy.

"Oh, I-i see, Lieutenant-" Hanataro began, but was cut off by having a dry rag thrown rather angrily at him.

"Don't you get what that means, stupid?" Yachiru asked all of the sudden and walked over to Hanataro, standing on a chair so that she could look down at him. "If he likes you then you're part of the family!"

"Part of the family . . . ?" Hanataro asked, rather confused.

"Unless you're like all of the others," she said softly.

"Yachiru," Hanataro suddenly decided to forgo the honorific. It wasn't helping him much in the process of distancing himself. In fact, it wouldn't matter much what he said. Yachiru had made up her mind on what she was going to tell Hanataro today, and come hell or high water, those things would be said. "What do you mean?"

"Don't you know?" she asked, looking at him with big, confused eyes. "Baldy has always had the worst luck when it comes to . . ." she had a hard time saying what she wanted to say, mainly because she wasn't sure what to call it. "To grown up things."

Hanataro's cheeks flushed. "O-oh. Is that so?"

Seeing Hanataro react like that to what she said, she knew she hadn't said it right. "I mean, he'd never dated anyone for very long! They always don't like him and leave him and then he gets his feelings hurt and then he'd sad, and then if he'd sad then I get sad, and . . . and . . ." she couldn't say anymore. Hanataro, because of what Yachiru said, was almost forgetting his aversion to being here entirely.

"Yachiru, I know. I've had a," he paused. "A rather hard time finding someone who liked me as well. But you don't need to worry-"

Yachiru wouldn't hear any more of that. Things weren't simple, and she didn't want Hantaro to try and make them simple. "You have to promise me that you'll not hurt Baldy's feelings, and you have to talk to Kenny, and-"

"Wait! Why?" Hanataro asked, his heart suddenly beating twice as fast as it had. What had he done to have to talk to Kenpachi? Kenpachi Zaraki, the most fearsome man in the Gotei 13.

"If you don't talk to Kenny, then Baldy won't be able to be friends with him still! Don't you understand anything?" she asked angrily, and threw her cup at Hantaro. It didn't hurt very badly because it was just plastic, but it did make Hanataro even more nervous.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Hanataro asked, quite upset. "Your captain hates me! I don't want to talk to him!"

"You don't get to choose!" All of the sudden, Yachiru's eyes were welling up.

"Yachiru, what is this really about?" Hanataro asked. His empathy, though not at the level of his captain or lieutenant, was keen. "I have a hard time this just popped into your head today."

"It's about . . . " she trailed off, then began again as she poured herself another imaginary cup of tea with one of the extras from the set that were laying in the middle of the table. "Well, Baldy got mad at me today because of something I did, and . . ."

"Ikkaku got angry at you?" Hanataro asked suddenly. That surprised him quite a bit, as he knew how much Ikkaku cared for Yachiru. Even if she was annoying the greatest majority of the time, Ikkaku mentioned that he cares about her like he would a younger sister. She was the only one he said that he really felt he had a family connection with honestly, the ties he has with Kenpachi and Yumichika being much more based in respect of their blade. All that being said, Ikkaku very rarely expressed real anger towards Yachiru. Annoyance, frequently, anger, unheard of.

"Over you!" she said accusingly.

"O-over me? But, Yachiru . . ." Hanataro didn't know what to say. He didn't say anything untoward towards Yachiru. He kind of admired her bubbly nature, albeit from afar, more than any other feelings towards her.

"Yes!" she said, but now she was more unsure. "Although, maybe I deserved it."

"Yachiru, I don't want Ikkaku to be mad at you. I certainly don't want you to cry, either."

She suddenly wiped her eyes and glared at him. The force behind her anger dissolved quickly and she began to go on what seemed to Hanataro to be a digression. "Baldy built this table for me, and Yun-yun got me this tea set," she muttered. "Baldy also put the wheels on my zanpakuto and built me a lot of my toy chests, and the canopy for me bed and painted my walls and . . . and . . . He never got mad at me, even though he has to do everything two or three times before I like it."

"He cares about you a lot," Hanataro offered softly. "He doesn't mind to do things to keep you happy, you know."

"Well, he's my big brother!" she exclaimed. "And he deserves someone that will make him happy, because he's the best big brother that anyone could ask for. Even better than Yun-yun, sometimes, and Yun-yun gives me candy" she said softly.

Was she . . . Being protective? Hanataro thought he somewhat understood the cause for Yachiru's distress by now. She saw her big brother spending so much time with a near stranger and she didn't want him to get his feelings hurt. If she wasn't so frightening, Hanataro would think that the whole thing was really cute.

"Am I not making him happy?" Hanataro asked. He thought maybe he would regret that question, but he thought the answer was yes and hoped to end the discussion with that.

"No!" she exclaimed suddenly. "Not one bit! Kenny and Baldy are _fighting_ because Kenny doesn't like you and Baldy does. They never fight, because Baldy thinks Kenny is really great and Kenny thinks that Baldy is really great."

"Don't they still think that about each other?" Hanataro asked, though he was very hurt by what Yachiru just told him. He didn't want to be a burden on Ikkaku, but it seemed that he was without even realizing it.

"I don't know," she said softly. "Kenny doesn't respect Baldy right now, I don't think. Kenny doesn't like what Baldy is doing with himself, I guess. I don't know! I just want them to make up," she said and drank some imaginary tea. "They aren't any fun to play with if they're not happy."

"So, what can I do?" Hanataro asked. If Yachiru were telling the truth, which she most certainly was, then he had to do something about it. For all the Ikkaku has done for him since their time together, if he could help patch things up with Kenpachi, he would. Even if he wouldn't like it.

"Well," she said, caught off guard. She hadn't made a plan for fixing the situation, really. She was just upset and impulsive. If she wanted a plan, she would have asked Yumichika. Instead, she wanted a confrontation. Though she probably should have assumed going to Hanataro was a silly thing to do for a confrontation, she hadn't thought it through. "Kenny doesn't like that you went to Mayurin. Mayurin made Kenny mad a long time ago."

"Well, I couldn't help that, Yachiru," Hanataro said lowly.

"He also doesn't like that you are so weak," she said, again in a low and kind of contemplative tone. The answer to their problems hit her all at once, though. "Wait! I remember! Kenny said, 'It wouldn't be so bad if that guy from four didn't always act so weak,' so all you need to do is act tougher! He doesn't mean for you to be tough, just act like it! So, that's what we'll do!"

"I'm sorry?" Hanataro said, trying to ask what Yachiru even meant.

"Don't say that! Act tough!"

"I-i'm not sure I know how!" Hanataro said to excuse himself, getting very nervous and self-conscious all of the sudden.

"You have to be strong! So stand up."

Hanataro hesitated, very confused at this point.

"_Stand up!_" She repeated with more force, so Hanataro stood. "And you're going to be strong! Got it?"

"W-wait-"

"Stop stuttering!" She shouted at him and poked him hard with each word to get her point across.

"I-i-"

"I said: s_top stuttering_, so cut it out!"

"Um... I-"

"Speak clearly!" She glared at him. Her small stature didn't detract from how frightening that she is one bit to Hanataro.

"All right," Hanataro conceded, backing up a little bit so he'd be out of immediate striking vicinity.

"Stand straight!" She ordered. He listened, because despite being confused, there was a very real fear that should be attached to the situation. Yachiru was strong, impulsive, and apparently insane as well. "Now-"

"Listen," Hanataro began. He was more afraid of Retsu than he ever would be of Yachiru. "I have to go back to work."

"B-but, we just started, you just got here!" She pouted and crossed her arms.

"I have to-"

"Then I'm going with you! I'll talk to you there," she said and smiled. Hanataro had just stood up to her, so that was a good thing.

"Why didn't you do that in the first place?"

"Because I had to show you how important Ikkaku is to me!" she replied with a smirk and grabbed his wrist, dragging him back the way that they came. Ikkaku had Hanataro's pity for sure if this is what he dealt with on a regular basis.

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So I'm not caught up on the anime, like . . . Not at all. I don't have enough time to watch it anymore. I'm probably 100 episodes behind. So I was reading about all the characters involved in this story on the wiki so that I don't make any glaring errors and . . . Wow. Retsu is, well, for a lack of better words, bad ass. However, for this to go smoothly (after all my reading I found contradictions in where my story is going vs. how the anime is right now), the story will have started after the Bount Arc by some months but not into the next arc yet. I hope that's okay for everyone who follows the manga, seeing as the Bount Arc wasn't a thing there. Life is hard sometimes.

Also, I'm trying to make chapters longer and more detailed. Tell me what you think. If I'm trying too hard or if you appreciate the extra detail. Check in next week for more updates!

Also, still looking for a beta. If you're interested, my inbox is open! :)


	65. Chapter 65

Special thanks to Safuuru for this chapter. She knows what she did, as I've said before. It took a while for me to work it into the story, but it was done. :)

Warning: this is kinda a filler. But a cute filler.

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No sooner than Hanataro put away his broom and started on his way to the main building to sign out for the day, another energetic voice came calling after him. Luckily for him, this time there weren't destructive powers behind the voice nearly to the extent Yachiru had, but he had only just been able to send her away. Hanataro didn't want any more company for the moment, seeing as he just was left alone with his thoughts, but he ignored his feelings and smiled at one of his former students who seemed to have something very important to talk to him about.

"Teacher!" she said. Hanataro was about to correct her by saying that they were both just members of the division now, no longer having the teacher-student relationship. He couldn't get a word out, however. The girl was too excited. "I heard from the secretary that you're going to be training us again!"

Damn Nana and her gossip, Hanataro thought. He'd never been affected by her idle chat with others before, but she never had much to say about him, either. Now that it was affecting him, he thought that it was much less amusing. "Aiko, why would I do that?" Hanataro asked. He didn't mean to sound unfriendly, but it must have came off that way. Aiko's bubbly happiness disappeared like a puff of smoke, and there wasn't anything Hanataro knew to do about it. It broke his heart to upset her, though, and he was about to apologize before she started up again.

"Well, Captain was saying that she didn't think we were progressing at the rate we should," Aiko answered lowly.

"Oh, I see," Hanataro said. If Retsu was commenting on their progress, it must be a serious issue. She didn't speak on matters concerning the division lightly. "Didn't you guys have a good teacher while I was away?"

"Not nearly as good as you were," Aiko replied and smiled brightly. "Nana said that you're always the instructor for the new recruits because you do it best. Maybe it was more because we were distracted by that girly guy from the eleventh division than we didn't have a good teacher, though," she added, trailing off at the end as if thoughtful. "In any event, we aren't doing well, and I want to impress Captain!"

"Well," Hanataro said lowly. How could he say no to such enthusiasm?

"H-honestly, it's a little embarrassing," Aiko started, not giving Hanataro time to accept. She was still trying to plead her case, even though she'd won Hanataro over just by how badly she wanted to please her captain and do well in the division. Though empathy was a good trait to have in the fourth division, it seemed as though this girl had a long way to go before she would be able to compare to the more senior members. "I mean, we should be doing better than we are no matter what, but we aren't."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Aiko," Hanataro said softly. Though he took if for granted that he would know the name of one of his former students, she seemed to be very pleased that he remembered. "If Yumichika was distracting you from your training, then I wouldn't expect you to progress as well as recruits in the past that haven't been hindered."

"Oh, teacher, you're so kind!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. Maybe she wasn't so much of a fourth division archetype like Hanataro had thought of her earlier. "I just knew I could count on you!"

"O-oh," was all Hanataro could think to respond with. "Well, I'll be glad to help you guys out again."

"It'll be great! I want to show you all that I've learned since you left! I might not be as good of a healer as I should be, but I've become really strong after practicing with the eleventh division-"

"Practicing? As in sparring?" Hanataro asked. No wonder they didn't learn much about healing. With those brutes trying to teach them how to fight in their free time, how were they supposed to practice their kido and complete their studies? Although, it occurred to Hanataro that maybe teaching the newer recruits more about self defense wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Of course."

"Ah," he replied. Okay, so they could fight a little now. Hopefully, even though Aiko is a little more outgoing than Hanataro remembered when he quit instructing the recruits, they will still be the same archetype division four members that he left them. Maybe not to the letter the same, but largely. If anything, they probably have not lost any respect since the time they spent with Hanataro, and that may be enough. Hanataro really, really didn't want to train anyone like-

"Oy, Hanataro!" called a man who was, to a tee, the type of person he was lamenting. However, even if he didn't want to train someone with the mentality of an eleventh divisioner, he didn't mind him at all on his off hours. He actually quite enjoyed him. "We need some stretchers-"

"W-what?" Hanataro asked. He was lost for a moment in his musings, which were largely about his luck and lack thereof. He certainly wasn't expecting to be called into action all of the sudden. All he could do was worry, seeing as Ikkaku was coming to him with such a request. Though Ikkaku seemed fine, Yachiru had told him earlier that Kenpachi was very displeased. The carnage could be incalculable.

"Oh, um . . ." Ikkaku scratched the back of his head and glanced around, avoiding the question for a moment. "See, that's kinda a funny story."

"Nothing is funny about people getting hurt, Ikkaku," Hanataro said severely. Though Ikkaku was acting suspicious, Hanataro wasn't ready to place the blame on him yet. He did wish that Ikkaku would tell him what happened or where the injured were at the very least, though.

Ikkaku mused in his own mind that what Hanataro just said was precisely why he wouldn't be telling the story of how ten or so bodies, severely beaten and near dead, were lying around the eleventh division's training dojo. At least not to Hanataro. He went on, trying to choose his words carefully, "Okay, so it wasn't like 'ha ha' funny, but-"

"Tell me about the funny part later! Where are they?" Hanataro asked, seeming to Ikkaku to be uncharacteristically short tempered. Probably because someone was hurt and the informant was giving him a run around instead of information, but had Hanataro known why, he at least wouldn't be able to blame Ikkaku for doing so.

Trying to avoid any type of incrimination, Ikkaku just nodded and led Hanataro wordlessly to the aftermaths of an episode of his rage. It was an unfortunately far distance from the hospital as far as Hanataro was concerned, but that's all he thought about. For how much Ikkaku was worrying, there was a huge deflation of expectation when he realized that Hanataro's last concern was who did this to all these eleventh division reapers.

"Who are they?" Aiko asked, not as focused or even concerned as Hanataro. Though they were in bad condition, obviously, the both of them were able to discern that no one in the pile was dead. What Aiko didn't realize and Hanataro did was that a few of them were in critical condition and in quite a bit of trouble if they weren't treated ASAP.

"Um, well," Ikkaku replied in a nervous tone, trying to procrastinate. He realized he wasn't helping himself in the long run, as if Hanataro's memory was worth anything then he would recall how suspicious Ikkaku was being, but Ikkaku was never accused of being a smart man.

"Who did this?" Aiko went on to ask, giving Ikkaku half a mind to add her to the pile.

Ikkaku was about to answer, getting ready to face the music and suffer the consequences when Hanataro spoke. "It doesn't matter who did this or how while they're in critical condition. Our job is to care for them and make sure they recover. After that we can worry about who did this."

"S-sorry," Aiko replied with an embarrassed blush. That was standard procedure in the division that everyone was expected to abide by, yet she made a fool of herself by forgetting it right as soon as something happened. She was pretty well done with speaking for a while, unless she could think of a way to redeem herself.

"Well, since you guys seem to have the situation under control," Ikkaku said and began to step away.

Hanataro either didn't hear Ikkaku or pretended as if he didn't. "Ikkaku, can you help us carry these guys to the hospital? We don't have time to get backup and stretchers."

"Sure!" Ikkaku replied, a little too enthusiastically. He was pretty happy to be able to do that much, though, as he planned to carry them all in the roughest way possible to do as much damage as he could to them. He picked all ten of them up at once and began to walk towards the hospital. His display of brute strength petrified Aiko and, if she weren't already so embarrassed that she had no intention on becoming part of the conversation, she was now too afraid. How could someone be so strong?

"Come on," Hanataro said to Aiko. She snapped out of her daze and followed them tentatively. "Ikkaku, be careful! They're bleeding, and you're making it worse!"

"Yeah, yeah," Ikkaku muttered to himself, lowly so that he would not be heard. "They deserve every fucking bit of it."

"Ikkaku, you're going to reopen wounds, carrying them like that!" Hanataro scolded. However, he was keeping careful watch on everyone's spiritual pressure. They were all strong enough to survive, he thought. It would be worse if men of less sure constitution were beaten so badly, but the men Ikkaku were carrying could hold up as long as they were given care as soon as possible. The quickest transport happened to be Ikkaku's arms, and they were moving rather fast. Nothing he said would faze Ikkaku, anyways, so Hanataro stopped scolding.

"Ikkaku!" Yumichika exclaimed as soon as they got outside of the hospital. Isane had just signed out of work and Yumichika had come to pick her up. He'd planned on going kimono shopping with her in some of the nicer districts, but an opportunity to laugh at someone else's pain was never an opportunity Yumichika passed up. "What are you doing with losers from our division?"

Ignoring Yumichika's crassness, Isane ran towards them. Signed out or no, no medic of the fourth division would pass up an opportunity to help those in need. "Hanataro, Aiko! What happened?"

"Not this again," Ikkaku groaned, having already partially explained the situation to Hanataro and the recruit that had been following all the way from the eleventh division. "These guys aren't getting any lighter!"

"Right, of course," Isane said, ignoring his rudeness with the same determination to helping those who are in need that kept Hanataro from hearing the indicators of Ikkaku's guilt earlier.

She and Hanataro carefully took the injured men from Ikkaku, setting them down without opening their wounds.

"What'd you do-" Yumichika began, almost giving Ikkaku away without noticing this was a delicate situation. A glare from Ikkaku told him all he needed to know for now-he'd get the juicy bits later. It looked like it was time to work his charm for now. "Maki? And Lao, too," he cooed over officers, though he was making up their names as he went. He didn't know the names of these men because they didn't impress him, but he could pretend for Ikkaku.

The men, those few who were conscious, just groaned. While Isane and Hanataro were talking to each other, working out the most efficient way to get these guys in the hospital as possible, Yumichika leaned down to the injured and made sure to tell them not to let anyone know who hurt them, else they would regret it.

"Okay," Isane suddenly said with authority. "Aiko, I need you to clean out rooms 113-123 as best as you can. Move anyone who isn't in critical condition, so we can get these guys in the closest rooms as soon as possible," she told the girl. Aiko seemed nervous, but hurried off.

"She didn't seem very confident," Isane said, wringing her hands together.

"I'll go help her," Hanataro said. Though he'd been training for a while now, he was still the weakest, physically, of any of them. It was most logical for him to go ahead and clear rooms, leaving the heavy lifting to those better suited to the task.

"Okay, now that your boyfriend is away, what happened?" Yumichika asked without hesitation. Ikkaku's eyes instantly went to Isane, and then back to Yumichika accusingly.

"Lieutenant won't tell on you! At least, probably not," Yumichika said dismissively with a sly smile.

"You did this?" Isane glared at Ikkaku, invalidating Yumichika's halfhearted assurance.

"L-look, I can explain!" Ikkaku tried to defend himself, but it seemed like he was already defeated.

"Let's hear it, then," Isane said with a scowl sour enough to turn milk.

"Yeah! I love a good story," Yumichika chimed in. "Especially when it involves you whipping these wimps into shape."

"Damn you, Yumichika," Ikkaku muttered. "Fine. So, here's what happened . . ."

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"Did ya hear about chrome dome?" the sixth seat of the eleventh division asked drunkenly. Of course everyone had heard, but he wanted to vent. Being the highest seated officer, he was a little more respected than the rest of the men there. That translated into getting a free pass to rank for the most part, and he took advantage of it frequently. "Dating a loser from four! Can ya believe it? Oh, Captin's been pissed for the entire time!"

"Yeah," another officer chimed in and grabbed the communal bottle of sake, drinking some for himself. Just about everyone in the circle was drunk and, though they were supposed to be sparring, getting any work done was the furthest thing from any of their minds. "It's been, what, four or so months? Ridiculous. I shoved some loser from four a while back and you woulda thought I killed him, by the way Madarame acted."

Another officer nodded his head, empathizing with a similar experience he had. It was no longer an option to mistreat fourth division member. If anyone did, they might as well just spit in Ikkaku's face-that's how he reacted to reports of it.

"He's a fuck up, anyways. The only reason he's got his place in this division is because he goes way back with Captain," the sixth seat muttered and took the sake for himself.

"Still, he'd pretty tough as far as I've ever seen," another chimed in. "And ruthless. Why do ya think that he likes this guy from four, anyways?"

"Him liking a guy at all is bad enough," the sixth seat said suddenly. "Fucking disgusting. But I'd say he just likes the fact that someone will date him. I heard from pretty boy that he's incompatible with anyone. Apparently he's clingy and all kinds a shit."

"Ha, seems fitting for a queer," another chimed in. "'Sides. This guy is probably just a good lay. Can't think of any other reason to be with like that."

"Well, duh. He'd have to be," the sixth seat said and took the sake bottle and put it to his lips, tilting his head back and trying to get the last bit out of the bottle. When he finished and lowered his head, returning his gaze toward his companions, he saw that they were all looking at something behind him like it was some kind of monster. "What?" he asked.

"'Fitting for a queer,' eh? 'Hanataro's just a good lay,' eh?" Ikkaku repeated what he heard with an ominous crack of his knuckles accompanying the questions.

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"I will rip them apart!" Isane exclaimed, unable to contain her rage. "How could they say such things about Hanataro?"

"If I didn't want to go to the Maggot's Nest, I would have," Ikkaku replied lowly.

"Hmph," Yumichika grunted. His hands were on his hips and his brow was furrowed-a very unbeautiful way, not that he was concerned with that at the moment. He was fuming.

"I have just the treatment," Isane said all of the sudden, in a rather dark tone.

"Ohh, Lieutenant. I love it when you get ideas," Yumichika cooed. "Why don't you let me help? I feel this is partially my responsibility. I did fail in teaching these idiots who's boss, and I need to make up for that."

"You and Ikkaku just take them to the rooms. I'll teach them a thing or two. No one says things so ignorant and insensitive on my watch."

"I didn't take you for the moral crusader type, Lieutenant," Yumichika commented. "Or rather, vigilante. In any event, I like it!"

Ignoring the conversation, as his cheeks were flushed red from anger, Ikkaku started to haul the unconscious division eleven officers to hospital beds so that they could meet their fate all the sooner.

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	66. Chapter 66

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As far as managing stress goes, few excel. However, though few excelled, even fewer were as bad as the fourth division's lieutenant. Isane was a person who was unusually bad, though it was no one's fault but her own that she couldn't cope as well with the strain of everyday events as well as most did. She started a very unfortunate vicious cycle right around the time that she began to limit her sleep. In the beginning, it was just to keep herself from growing even taller than she already suffered to be. In the fourth division, standing out was an unspoken taboo that she didn't want to transgress, after all.

Of course, Isane's original intentions weren't as extreme as what resulted. She only aimed to limit her sleep by an hour or two every night to keep herself functioning at close to full capacity. However, what she intended to happen and what actually happened were two different things entirely, with the reality of the situation being less ideal than her intentions by far. Isane, being the sensitive girl that she is, reacted very badly to having less sleep, even if it was only a two-hour difference from what she was used to. Instead of her body acclimating itself well enough to the lack of a full night's rest, it rebelled by having terrible nightmares. This in turn made Isane even less willing to lie down to sleep at night. The further deprivation of sleep occasionally led to hallucinations even while she was awake, and Isane was, in general, terrified at the prospect of sleeping, or the dark in general. As of late, she'd noticed the strangest changes in what had, for a long time, been commonplace for her. Yumichika was impacting her life, even in the aspects she hadn't ever informed him of.

The beauty, since he became her best friend, had assuaged most of her fears, including that of her height being a defect, and he'd done so handily. It was funny, but even while Isane was at the point in her life in which she wouldn't have willingly spent ten minutes in Yumichika's company, he was quick to tell her flattering things and not even be offended when the compliments weren't returned. The most important thing that he ever told her was that he wished he were as tall as she was, as it made the overall figure seem to be more lithe and slender. Isane didn't believe him at first, but she'd learned over the period of their friendship that Yumichika never gave a compliment that wasn't sincere. After that, she assumed that when he said what he did that, even if he wanted to be as tall as she was, he didn't mean that it was an attractive feature for her to have. Who envied a woman who stood at 6'1"? Who wouldn't think, at least to themselves, that it was unattractive? Rather than just not comment on it if he found it to be a shortcoming, Yumichika went out of his way to compliment her on this thing that she hated so deeply about herself, and as time went on he complimented it a few more times. It was clear that Yumichika actually believed her height was an asset for her, and this was long before she ever confided in Yumichika her insecurities. The peace of mind these compliments Yumichika afforded her didn't stop with just that, though.

Besides Yumichika's compliments, which were honestly enough to make her fair skin turn as pink as a cherry blossom, Isane was also given the calm and levelheaded Shunsui. Though it was thanks to Yumichika's intervention that Isane could have ever spoken to Shunsui outside of work, the beauty wasn't so as invasive between them as he was with Ikkaku and Hanataro. After their meeting atop his roof, Isane went to apologize to him right away. She couldn't tell him just how sorry she was, but he waved it away with a simple "perish the thought" kind of attitude, and she couldn't persist to someone like that.

After trying to forget about the whole incident, she went to Yumichika's room to have a makeover, thinking it would be rather relaxing. Who else would have been there, drinking sake and getting Yumichika to trim his hair besides Shunsui. Since then, Shunsui had been around frequently, and he showered compliments upon Isane until she couldn't help but feel attracted to him. He revealed that he admired her calm and gentle nature for a long time, but had no excuse to spend time with her so that he might tell her. Having never been told that she was the object of anyone's affects, Isane pretty well fell for Shunsui.

Things had been going well and Isane felt like she was flying high for a while now, but it had only recently been brought to her attention that ever since Yumichika made it a point for him to be a constant in her life, the nightmares had flown out of her mind entirely. Even if before Isane might not have spent ten minutes in his company, or anyone from the eleventh division for that matter, not having Yumichika anymore would be worse than any thing she'd ever dreamed in nightmare come to life. With Yumichika's spontaneous compliments and spontaneous attitude, as well as Shunsui's calm guidance, Isane's nervous habits and low self-esteem were cured, so to speak. Isane had even started sleeping most of the night through. It started being easier for her to sleep because she was invited to sleepovers with Yumichika, but she soon found it possible to sleep on her own, devoid of night terrors. She also ate more than three meals of porridge a day, unafraid of growing still taller (though she wasn't fond of that idea still). It was inconceivable what one man had done for her, and with such ease. Then there was Shunsui, about whom she couldn't think up enough positive things to say.

He's the first person who made her see that her nightmares were only nightmares while she was still having them. She'd been afraid to get up many times after dreaming up particularly frightening monsters, but he'd told her simply how weak all the images she would conjure were in comparison to the hollows she'd fight regularly. No one else was anything but sympathetic when she complained to them. They would say things that were very considerate, but they were just derived from pity that they felt for her. Nothing was wrong with taking pity on the problems of others, but Shunsui didn't have any pity when he told her not to worry. Without a rational and firm voice of reason, nothing anyone could say would be of use to her; Shunsui had the calm reason she needed. Between her best friend and boyfriend's advices, Isane slept most nights through without issue.

Isane had to thank Yumichika, she decided. Though it was almost on a whim, her resolve was definite. As nonsensical as it was, she was sure Yumichika knew exactly what he was doing by getting her together with the flamboyantly dressed captain. Shunsui wasn't chosen haphazardly because he was available, nor was it because he already was interested in Isane. Yumichika specifically worked to have Isane date Shunsui because they were a match that could help each other. Though there was little Isane felt she could do to really repay the beauty for what he'd done for her, she thought she would at least have to try.

Isane had one day and one half day allowed every week to take off from work and she decided to take off Wednesday, a day where very little happened, to find Yumichika and thank him. She thought maybe she could take him to go shopping, or possibly take him to a spa. Something to show him that she really appreciated all that he'd done for her since they'd became friends, even if it did empty her wallet.

In looking for Yumichika, Isane was very surprised to see him near the third division barracks. He was waiting at the end of a narrow alley leading out to the main walkways between divisions and the entrance to the third division's buildings, looking for something. For a minute or two, Isane watched as he Yumichika gazed at the buildings before him, specifically the sleeping quarters to the third division's reapers, before she spoke up. "Um, Yumichika?"

"A-ah!" Yumichika turned around quickly, blushing and looking as if he were caught in the act of doing something rather naughty. "O-oh, Lieutenant," he said dismissively. "I was just looking for Iba. Sometimes he wanders around."

"Why would you be looking for Iba?" Isane asked rather curiously. She wasn't trying to incriminate or accuse Yumichika of doing anything he wasn't supposed to be, but he was acting rather suspicious for no real reason, and she would have rather liked an explanation.

"Oh, just for this thing. For Ikkaku. Ikkaku's really bad at tracking spiritual pressure-" he began, but Isane cut him off.

"It seems to me that Lieutenant Iba is at the seventh division barracks, like usual," Isane said, her hands on her hips. Though she'd come to thank Yumichika, now she was a little upset that he was keeping something from her. If she ever tried to keep anything from Yumichika, she knew from experience that his indignation and anger had no limits.

"Oh," Yumichika answered lowly. "I must not be as good at tracking pressure as I thought I was," he said dismissively and flash stepped away.

"Yumichika!" Isane shouted and started after him, catching up with him after a little chase. They were now on one of the roads that lead between divisions, just outside the third division complex. "Yumichika, what were you doing there?" she asked as she caught up with him, having taken a hold of his wrist to keep him from running off again. She noticed there was a pink flush on the beauty's face, but wasn't sure if that was because he was worn out or if it was because of something else.

"Nothing devious, Lieutenant," he said, a little defensively. "Just dropping by to see someone, but I didn't feel his spiritual pressure."

Now Isane took her cue and flushed. Did she really chase Yumichika down just because he wanted to visit a different friend? She probably looked like the kind of person who didn't want to share her friends, and those are the kinds of people who didn't keep friends for very long. "Oh, Yumichika," she said, her voice deflated. "I'm so sorry, it's just that-"

"Oh, don't worry about it, Lieutenant," Yumichika responded immediately with a smile. "I suppose there's no real reason to be upset. Like I said, my friend wasn't there, anyways."

Though Isane thought it was strange that Yumichika would run away from the barracks if he was just dropping by a friend's house, Isane was just glad to know that he wasn't mad at her. Instead of asking anything more on the subject, which made very little sense and clearly showed that Yumichika was trying to keep some kind of secret, she got back to her original intention for the day. "You know, Yumichika, I really feel like I have to thank you-"

"Oh? What's this?" Shunsui seemed to come from no where, seeing Isane and Yumichika blushing while Isane was holding his hand. He was perfectly aware he'd come in a the perfectly incorrect time, but thought it would be nice to comment.

"S-shunsui!" Isane let go of Yumichika's hand suddenly and her face turned from pink to red too quickly for Shunsui to think was normal. "It's not what it looks like!"

"What? You weren't going to profess your undying love for me?" Yumichika asked, all of a sudden pretending to be offended. Isane didn't appreciate the joke, but Shunsui seemed to because he chuckled.

"I checked with Nanao and she told me we all had taken the day off today, so I thought I would take advantage of it and arrange something for us," he said with his easy-going smile.

"By we . . . ?" Yumichika began, a little concerned. Ikkaku and Shunsui talked quite a bit when they went drinking together, and Ikkaku always said things that he wasn't supposed to while he drank. He hoped that Ikkaku guarded one of his most precious secrets from Shunsui.

"You and I and Ikkaku and Hanataro and Isane, of course!" Shunsui replied, and Yumichika breathed an internal sigh of relief. "We're going to relax at the hot springs and enjoy ourselves. Maybe have a little sake," he added.

There was no reason to suspect anyone except Ikkaku was aware of his infatuation with Izuru, Yumichika reminded himself. Ikkaku was rather stupid, but he cared about Yumichika enough to keep his secrets. It all of a sudden occurred to Yumichika that he never explicitly told Ikkaku that his thing for Izuru was a secret, but he hoped that it was implied. In any event, Shunsui didn't make it clear that he was aware of anything. Seeing that there were no such worries to occupy himself with, he just smiled and replied that he thought it would be a great way to relax.

Isane was a little disappointed, seeing as she wanted to be the one to surprise Yumichika and spend time with him alone, but none the less was happy for such an easy solution to be offered. She smiled at Shunsui and he smiled back, them both understanding each other without really needing to use words. Yumichika was deeply jealous at what they had, but he smiled too while inwardly wishing for himself to be so lucky with Izuru.

While Yumichika was in his little reverie, Izuru walked by and immediately snapped him out of it. "Hello, Fifth Seat Ayasegawa," Izuru said as he passed. "Captain Shunsui, Lieutenant Kotetsu."

Though it probably went unnoticed by the other two, Yumichika was flattered. Izuru said his name first when manners dictated that he greet the highest ranked person down to the lowest in that order. Though he might have smiled unconsciously, Yumichika was sure that he wasn't blushing. It took more than a simple greeting, even if it did mean a lot to him. "Good afternoon, Izuru," he said cheerily. "Are you going anywhere important?"

Izuru had meant to just greet the group in passing, even though he would have liked to have a conversation with Yumichika. He'd given up on anything meaningful happening between them a long time ago. However, seeing as the fifth seat was paying attention to him, and even referring to him by his first name, Izuru was happy to stop for a little while. "No, actually. I took a half day off today. There was nothing much to do," he said and shrugged. Though he was rather happy on the inside, he seemed as depressed as ever to untrained eyes.

"Yumichika said he wanted to visit a friend at the third division's barracks," Isane explained to Shunsui, who seemed rather confused. Both Yumichika and Izuru were talking to each other and paid no mind to either Isane or Shunsui. "It must have been Lieutenant Kira."

"Ah, yes. Those two have quite a history, if I remember," Shunsui replied thoughtfully, his index finger resting on his chin as though he were trying to recall something.

"They do?" Isane asked, wide-eyed. Why hadn't she ever heard Yumichika speak of Izuru, if they were old friends? Although, it made sense when she gazed over to the two. They were speaking as if they were old friends, ignoring anything else that was going on around them.

"Yes. Ikkaku told me as much himself when we were drinking once. It seems that Yumichika is too conceited to be the one to ask Izuru to be anything more than friends, and Izuru is too afraid of rejection," Shunsui told her. Though these were things he was told in confidence, he didn't mind sharing them with Isane. He meant to get Yumichika and Izuru together, actually. He was tired of having almost no alone time with Isane, seeing as Yumichika was always around her. Yumichika was also very difficult to drop a hint to that he was not wanted around without deeply offending him.

"I have an idea," Isane said to Shunsui with a devious yet cute smile, then turned to Yumichika and Izuru. He was rather happy that she was taking the initiative, seeing as it would be awkward for him to, seeing as he had never been very close to either Yumichika or Izuru. When Isane was ready to speak, she heard enough to know Yumichika was telling Izuru about hair care treatments and complimenting his appearance overall. There was very little Izuru could think to say in response, and so he was quiet with a faint blush. It was almost too cute for her to bear. "Lieutenant Izuru," Isane interrupted. For the first time that she could remember, Yumichika looked annoyed with her, but she pressed on without paying him much heed. "We were going to go to the hot springs, would you like to come?"

"U-um," he stuttered nervously, but avoided answering. Did he want to go anywhere? No, not really, but he couldn't help but thinking that if it might get him closer with Yumichika then it would be worth it.

"Of course he would!" Yumichika said right away, answering for Izuru. "It'll be fun, don't you think?" he asked Izuru with a small smile. There weren't very many words of protest that Izuru knew that would keep Yumichika from doing what he wanted, and so he didn't try to think of them.

"Well, if you want me to go," Izuru replied. He sounded rather sad about the whole thing, but Yumichika ignored that. If Izuru didn't sound sad, then he wouldn't sound much like Izuru.

"Of course I do!" Yumichika answered. Isane had never seen Yumichika so happy about something than his reaction to Izuru agree to go with them. "Why don't you go and get whatever you need from your room? I'll pick you up soon and we can walk together."

Izuru gave a small smile and nodded, leaving to do as Yumichika suggested. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as he thought of the possibility that Yumichika wouldn't come to get him, but he quickly dismissed it. What was past was past, and with the way Yumichika was acting, there was no way that he would just forget to come for him. At least, that's what he hoped.

As soon as Izuru was gone, Yumichika got close to Isane and Shunsui as if to whisper, even when Izuru was far out of earshot. "We can't invite Ikkaku, okay?" He phrased it like a question, but his words were obviously a command.

"W-why not?" Isane asked. She would have liked to spend a day relaxing with Hanataro and keeping an eye on Ikkaku. Of course, those two were working and they would only be able to come during the later half of the day, but it would still be nice to have their company.

"Because, he'll ruin everything!" Yumichika answered. "I work very hard to keep him away from Izuru, because if he gets the chance he'll ruin years worth of work I've put into our relationship!" Suddenly Yumichika covered his mouth, blushing. He couldn't believe he'd gotten so worked up and said so many things that were best left unsaid.

"Years worth of work?" Isane asked skeptically.

"Relationship?" Shunsui asked with the same doubtful tone.

Blushing, Yumichika said, "Yes! Things are very complicated sometimes, and to have someone as beautiful as Izuru, I have to approach the situation beautifully. An unfortunate incident from a long time ago made this whole thing rather difficult."

"You mean you've had a crush on Izuru for years and haven't made a move yet?" Isane asked, more surprised at Yumichika's timidness than the fact he's attracted to the chronically depressed lieutenant, which was no small thing in and of itself.

"Well, I wouldn't say that I haven't made a move," Yumichika answered with a blush, looking off and smiling in a reminiscent fashion. Snapping back to reality, he focused on his best friend and her boyfriend. "But, even though we've been close, he's still shy around me and doesn't trust me. Sometimes I think he's intimidated by my beauty, other times by my cunning; the fact of the matter is that Izuru's afraid of me, and we can't be together unless he stops that." Suddenly Yumichika realized he'd just told Isane quite a bit, and was in for a lot of advice; advice that he neither wanted nor needed for any reason. There was nothing much to be done about it now, though, and he resigned himself to hear it.

"That's so cute!" Isane suddenly exclaimed. "Someone like you having an unrequited love? Adorable."

"Someone like me?" Yumichika put his hands on his hips indignately.

"Someone who could have his choice of anyone found someone he'd work hard to be with. I'm just saying that it's surprising but cute," Isane said.

Does this mean that there will be no advice? Yumichika wondered. "You think so?"

"Absolutely! Who knew you were such a romantic?" Isane asked, meaning that Yumichika always seemed to want romance to happen right away instead of prolonged courting. Now that she thought about it, this type of passionate and difficult romance would be the only type that Yumichika would be interested in. Love is the thing he's most interested in, and for such a passion, anything easy would be anticlimactic.

"Everyone," Shunsui replied with a smile, not taking as long to realize what Isane did. "So, shall we go?"

"I'm going to go pick up a yukata from my dresser to change into," Yumichika replied. "You go on ahead."

"I'll see you there," Isane replied happily and as soon as Yumichika was gone she hugged Shunsui tightly.

"Am I so irresistible?" he asked with a smirk.

"I don't know how you do it, but you're really the best," she replied. Honestly, Shunsui had no sophisticated plan to work all of this out so well, but it was all the better for him if Isane believed otherwise. It would be a little dishonest to not at least hint towards the fact that he had almost nothing to do with this, and so he decided to be vague but truthful.

"I didn't cause those two to fall for each other. It'll be nice to have someone to distract Yumichika's attention, though. I feel like I can't talk to you without him being there or around the corner," Shunsui admitted. Even if it wasn't his plan to join those two so quickly or easily as it seemed now, he wasn't about to complain.

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All the subplots. All of them.

Until the end of my grading quarter, I believe I'll only have enough time to update once a week, by the way. Grades do come first, but I promise once a week I'll set aside a few hours to write another chapter.

By the way, I'm still looking for a beta for this story. Volunteer through PMs if you'd like. Thanks for reading and your support, guys. Means a lot. :)


	67. Chapter 67

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Though it was originally Ikkaku's plan to not meet up with Hanataro until later in the afternoon, if they met at all, his evening had just freed up in a hurry. Yumichika had been complaining lately that Ikkaku wasn't paying enough attention to him, and that had to be remedied, of course. No matter how much Ikkaku wanted to get back to his training regimen with Hanataro, he had to admit he and Yumichika _were_ spending less time together. He conceded that an afternoon shopping with his best friend, if that's what Yumichika wanted, wouldn't kill him. After making plans with Yumichika, he did what he usually did. Predictably, Yumichika was unpredictable.

On his way to meet Yumichika at a bar, which they agreed upon to be their first stop on their day out together, a hell butterfly kindly informed him that he was being ditched for Isane's company. Ikkaku's only thought about the situation was this: typical Yumichika. Being ditched was something that Ikkaku got used to a long time ago, especially when concerning his friend.

With his afternoon free, he decided to surprise Hanataro by picking him up at the hospital at work. Maybe they could even go out on a date, Ikkaku mused, seeing as he was anticipating a night out. Though Hanataro wasn't exactly wild, as was Yumichika, he was still very good company. It had been a long time, after all, since they'd gone out on an actual date. Far too long, in Ikkaku's opinion.

"Hi," a fourth division member, identified as such by her uniform, greeted Ikkaku cheerily. It seemed he'd wandered into the fourth division complex on autopilot as he mulled over his options of destinations to take Hanataro.

"Oh, hi," he responded quietly, taken off guard a bit. He'd never been addressed by a member of the fourth division in such a way; they usually masked their face with their bangs and tried very hard to look at the ground instead of the person they were addressing, should that person be anyone of rank. It would take a little getting used to for Ikkaku, but seeing how much he was around the hospital now, this probably would happen more and more.

"Are you looking for teacher?" she asked, quite animated. Honestly, Ikkaku didn't know how to answer that question, seeing as it was a little out there. He wasn't informed that Hanataro was appointed to retrain the new members of his division; he and Hanataro had been too busy recently to talk much.

"Um," he muttered, not knowing what to say.

"Hanataro, I mean. _I'm_ so used to calling him teacher, so I confused you. Sorry," she said, affirming that she was indeed rightly placed in the fourth division. Maybe she was strangely outgoing, but her level of politeness was not affected.

"Oh, yes," Ikkaku replied. Though he didn't like to say it, he was feeling uncomfortable. Ashamed wasn't the right word for it, but he definitely didn't like people acknowledging his relationship with Hanataro too openly. Especially not after the recent fiasco with people in his division making fun of it.

"He'll be very happy to hear you're here!" she said, then giggled. Ikkaku wasn't sure why that was funny, but didn't comment. "I believe he'll be out in a moment; he's getting his things."

"Ah," Ikkaku said.

"Would you like me to take you to him?" she asked.

Thinking that if he said no she might leave, Ikkaku responded with a negative. Unfortunately, she was not about to go. His subtle hints, such as short answers to her questions and an unengaged manner, were pretty well lost on her. "You know, teacher loves to talk about you. He's made you out to be the greatest thing since sliced bread-seeing how happy he is to have you, I don't disagree."

Ikkaku could feel a blush starting from his ears and creeping towards his cheeks. He'd never envied people with hair quite as much as when it would be convenient for him to hide behind that built-in curtain that some were lucky enough to have. "I'm glad," he said, trying to sound dismissive.

She giggled again, making him feel the need to defend his honor all of a sudden. Before he got the chance to try, she said, "You're exactly how he said you were."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ikkaku asked, getting more red. He was okay with the tint of his skin now, though, as it stemmed more from anger.

Now sensing Ikkaku didn't appreciate her probing, she started to back down a bit. "O-oh, nothing," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Just that you're sweet and cute, all that good stuff. He's certainly never said anything bad about you-"

"Ikkaku?" Hanataro asked, walking out of the main building with a bag full of paperwork, presumably forms that he couldn't finish during work hours. "What are you doing here?"

The student jumped in to answer for Ikkaku, partially because she was nervous. Though Ikkaku wasn't necessarily over the top in his anger, just the annoyance in his voice was enough to make a medic reach for their best shot at salvation. "Here to pick you up. You two are so cute," she said as she edged closer to Hanataro. Once she was close, she whispered, "He's kind of scary, though."

Ikkaku heard what she said, but he made no notice of it. She wanted to be anywhere but there, luckily for Ikkaku, and moved out quickly. Once she was gone, he smiled his goofy smile at Hanataro and Hanataro shrugged off what she told him; Ikkaku always instilled fear into people he was meeting for the first time. "I thought you were busy today?"

"Oh, Yumichika blew me off," he answered and grabbed Hanataro's bag from him, carrying it easily with one hand.

"You don't have to carry that," he protested weakly. He may have protested more if it weren't for the fact that the bag was really quite heavy, and it took two hands to carry it without dropping anything for him.

"I know that," he replied with a smile. "That's exactly why I'm carrying it."

Hanataro smiled but said nothing in response. They walked in a contented silence for a little while until Hanataro accidentally brushed Ikkaku's hand and mumbled an, "oops" without dwelling on it with one thousand apologies like he may have in the past. Ikkaku responded by taking hold of Hanataro's hand and lacing their fingers.

"Since when were you the romantic?" he asked with a smile. Usually Ikkaku didn't do anything romantic, especially not in public. He wasn't necessarily afraid of repercussions, as far as Hanataro could tell, but he just wasn't one to display affection in public if it could be avoided.

"Since now. Got a problem?" he replied, knowing the answer, of course.

"Of course not!" Hanataro replied, his face turning a light shade of pink. He used his hair to hide the blush, too, and Ikkaku couldn't help but smile because of how recently that had been in his mind.

"Anyways," Ikkaku transitioned to his desired topic, oh so smoothly. "I was thinking we could go out on a date tonight-after training, of course."

"A date? Really?" Hanataro asked. After seeing Ikkaku's expression deflate, he knew he'd worded that incorrectly. "I mean, a date?" he tried to change his tone to sound more excited, but he was nervous that he had already ruined it, making it hard to be convincing.

"Sure, it'll be fun. I'll even cut practice down to thirty minutes," Ikkaku replied, getting pretty excited about the prospect himself. Shorter practice was all Hanataro needed to agree readily.

"Perfect," Ikkaku replied. "Wanna get right to training then? So we can go out as soon as possible?"

Not really, Hanataro thought. If it made Ikkaku happy, though, he wouldn't mind. What was thirty minutes, anyways? "Sure," he replied.

"Awesome," Ikkaku said to flash stepped to their usual training spot with Hanataro following behind, catching onto the idea rather quickly. Ikkaku sure was anxious, Hanataro noted.

Ikkaku put down the bag under a low bush, to prevent the wind from blowing it away, and said this: "Kay, so I'm going to have to cram two hours worth of training into a half hour. You up for it?"

"Um," was the only reply Hanataro could think of. "Not really" came to his mind a little bit after the time frame for answers pasted, but he didn't say it.

"It'll be fine," Ikkaku reassured, seeing the doubt on his boyfriend's infinitely cute face. "Here, we'll start with push-ups."

Hanataro hated push-ups, but they weren't too frightful. Ikkaku was hyping up the training that would ensue to be Herculean tasks. "Just do what I do," he said and from his standing position, he dropped down to a perfect push-up form, did one, jumped up as soon as he finished the push up, did a squat and repeated, just in case any of the technique was lost on Hanataro the first time.

"And if I . . . Say that I can't do that?" Hanataro asked meekly.

"It's easy," Ikkaku replied, accompanied by a roll of his eyes. "_Try_ it. Don't just tell me you can't do it. That's what quitters say."

Sometimes tenacity is stupid, Hanataro wanted to say. Instead, he tried what Ikkaku did and ended up with a coating of dirt on his face. Ikkaku, for his part, was face palming, which he tried to never do around Hanataro as he trained.

"Okay, so that's not happening. We'll work on that coordination next time. Do some pull-ups," Ikkaku suggested. Hanataro hated pull-ups worse than push-ups, but he didn't think that the exercise Ikkaku wanted him to do was really humanly possible, despite the demonstration, and so he agreed.

Ikkaku found a suitable tree and gave Hanataro a lift to a branch for him to use. Hanataro used the momentum from his lift to get his chin onto the limb, and that's about as far as he got. "Hanataro, the whole point of pull-ups is to do more than one."

"One's better than none!" he replied in a very high-pitched voice, caused by the strain of trying to hold himself up. It sounded simple enough to hold yourself above the bar you're doing push-ups on, but as Hanataro found out, it wasn't so easy.

"Hanataro, try," Ikkaku said, losing patience quickly.

"I'm afraid I'll fall," he replied meekly.

"Then I'll catch you, dammit, so try!" Ikkaku ordered.

Hanataro couldn't argue with Ikkaku when his patience was all but nonexistent, and so he did try, and indeed fell. At least Ikkaku made good on his promise to catch him, but he was not very happy at how weak Hanataro was and began to make the most of the twenty minutes left with excruciating exercises, until Hanataro could barely move anymore. Before that, he didn't think it was possible for anyone to sweat so much in so little time, but after that, he doubted nothing.

"I-i . . ." Hanataro could only just stand. He leaned against a tree and cursed his boyfriend silently. Of course, Ikkaku _did_ have pure intentions at heart, but the training was too much to endure gladly. Sure, Hanataro was somewhat at fault for not keeping up on basic exercises when Ikkaku and he weren't able to train, but the crunch training session was nothing short of torture.

"You don't look so good," Ikkaku commented warily. The training was tough, sure, but Ikkaku didn't think it was so difficult as to make Hanataro only barely able to stand. Maybe the squat lifts were a little much? "Are you okay?"

"Just tired," Hanataro replied grumpily. Maybe he was mad at Ikkaku for making him lift so many weights and do so many sit-ups, but the genuine concern in Ikkaku's voice made him forget just how angry, for a moment.

Out of almost no where, Ikkaku swept him off his feet and kissed him. Although Hanataro was starting to forgive Ikkaku for the hellish workout, he was still not completely over it. He started rather violently and didn't kiss back; he wasn't interested in intimacy after that much work.

"Want me to carry you back to your room?" he asked with a goofy smile. Not wanting to walk on his legs, which Hanataro felt sure would collapse, he agreed with a little nod and adjusted himself to be comfortable in Ikkaku's arms. Ikkaku just chuckled and went to get the briefcase, then flash stepped to Hanataro's room, getting there in mere moments. Ikkaku opened the door with two fingers easily, trying his very hardest not to shift Hanataro in his arms.

Once in, he shut the door with his foot and held Hanataro, looking at him fondly. Hanataro was rather comfortable, hovering between consciousness and sleep; he didn't notice that they were at their destination, and Ikkaku didn't tell him so. He couldn't bring himself to. Hanataro looked so cute after training, not to mention Ikkaku had the privilege of holding him while he slept and watching him for a little while. Hanataro got rather nervous when he was watched while concious.

A few minutes went by before Hanataro opened his eyes, and upon realizing they were in his room and Ikkaku was staring at him, he blushed profusely. "Ikkaku," he said weakly and wiggled as though to ask to be put down. "You should have told me we were here . . ."

Instead of answering, he just kissed Hanataro and set him down. Upon relying on his own legs again, Hanataro nearly fell. Luckily, Ikkaku was there to catch him. It was very endearing how doting Ikkaku could be, Hanataro thought with a slight smile. Even though at the same time as he doted, he did things that were rather uncomfortable, such as stare at him in his sleep.

"Sorry, I just didn't want to ruin it," Ikkaku replied. "You look really hot after training."

Hanataro had all but forgotten about that strange thing Ikkaku had for him when he just finished a workout. Everyone has their weird attractions, but Hanataro really couldn't wrap his mind around this one-he was sweaty and gross and tired, but that somehow equated to hot in Ikkaku's eyes. Oh well, at least it made Ikkaku a very affectionate person for a while.

Hanataro stood holding onto Ikkaku for a moment before he felt that his legs, screaming at him to be still, could handle the walk into the bathroom. If his willpower was any less, he would have asked Ikkaku to help him to the bathroom, but he wasn't sure that would go over so well. Especially with Ikkaku so enamored by his appearance right now.

"You want me to run the bath?" Ikkaku asked. "You can lay down while I do."

"I was just planning on taking a shower," Hanataro replied, holding the bathroom door's handle for support without turning it. A bath sounded heavenly to relax his tense muscles, but he didn't want to make Ikkaku wait all day for their date.

"Don't be stupid," he replied. "You're sore-I'll run the bath. You just lay down."

Hanataro grumbled, mainly because he didn't want to walk anymore. The bed was five paces away, but those were five paces he didn't want to make. "It's fine."

"Ah, come on. Don't be like that," he said. "Take a nap or somethin'. You look tired," Ikkaku told him, then noticed Hanataro's legs were trembling a little bit. Maybe the one-hundred and fifty pound squat presses were a little demanding, he thought again. He picked up Hanataro and took him over to the bed, secretly savoring the opportunity to take care of him.

"Ikkaku!" Hanataro shouted in protest. When he was set down, he crossed his arms and pouted. He didn't like being treated like a baby. That was ignored, however, and Ikkaku just gave him a kiss and went to run him a hot bath.

Alone on his bed, he turned towards the wall opposite to the bathroom door and smiled to himself. He loved the affectionate side of Ikkaku and he loved how he was the only one to ever be able to see it. That was largely because Ikkaku was the last person Hanataro would ever expect to that way. Being alone with Ikkaku when he was in one of those moods were among the best times Hanataro had ever had. He almost wanted to cancel their plans to go out and just spend the rest of the afternoon by themselves, but Ikkaku was too excited, or seemed that way, to allow Hanataro to cancel anything.

He closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep, but as tired as his body was, his mind didn't need the rest. Instead of sleeping, seeing as that wasn't going to happen, Hanataro just closed his eyes and let his mind wander. It happened to focus chiefly on Ikkaku, which Hanataro was fine with. In what seemed like mere minutes, but in reality was probably longer, Ikkaku came over to the bedside and woke Hanataro up with a kiss.

"You're in a good mood today," Hanataro said, feeling as though he had to comment on all the affection he was being showered with. It wasn't as though Ikkaku was a particularly cold person around him under any circumstance-that he most certainly was not-but he was being even more loving than was usual.

"'Course I am," he replied. "I . . ." For a moment, Ikkaku thought he was going to let something slip, something he didn't want to say yet. It was the same something he'd told his captain. The realization that he loved Hanataro. That had to wait for the right moment, though.

"You what, Ikkaku?" Hanataro asked with a raised brow. Since when did Ikkaku ever hold his tongue?

"I'm just happy to be around you," he said, blushing. It wasn't really in his nature to say sappy things like that, but it was better than saying the dreaded "L" word and getting himself in trouble. If Hanataro felt that way, Ikkaku thought, he wouldn't keep it to himself. Maybe he wouldn't come out with it to Ikkaku, but surely he'd tell Isane? Then, if he told Isane, Yumichika would hear of it. If Yumichika heard anything about it, it would be a matter of time before it reached Ikkaku's ears. _Then_, and only then, would he tell Hanataro how he felt.

That made Hanataro blush quite darkly. He looked away for a moment, not sure what to say. All of this almost made that horrid training session worth it. Hanataro thought he might even start working up a sweat before asking anything of Ikkaku, if this would be a consistent response. "You're being too sweet," Hanataro said.

"No way," Ikkaku replied and kissed him. Ikkaku was doing a lot of that today, Hanataro noticed, and he wasn't going to complain. While not breaking the kiss, Ikkaku took him into the bathroom and set him down on the counter the sink was built into. Hanataro was starting to get rather uncomfortable when Ikkaku's hands started wander and his lips didn't break the kiss.

"I-ikkaku," Hanataro said lowly, breaking the kiss and weakly pushing him off. Both of them were blushing and looked a little confused. "I think I'll take my bath now."

"Oh, right. Sorry," he replied and lifted Hanataro off the counter, although he could have easily gotten down himself, and went into the main bedroom, closing the door softly behind him.

Hanataro started to take off his clothes when Ikkaku knocked, nearly giving him a heart attack. "I-i'm undressing, Ikkaku!" he replied, sounding more harsh than he intended.

"Um, I just wanted to know that you weren't, you know . . ." he trailed off.

"Mad?" Hanataro offered, knowing that was the word Ikkaku was looking for.

"Yeah."

"No, I'm not mad at you!" Hanataro replied, although he sounded like it, even to himself. He took a deep breath and tried again. "I'm not mad, Ikkaku."

"Oh, okay."

Hanataro finished undressing and got into the bath, which was very relaxing. Ikkaku even remembered to put the bath salts in. He soaked into the water spearmint green water with a satisfied sigh, soaking for a while before even bothering with the soap. Then, when he did start washing, he took his time. The bath was probably an hour-long affair, though Hanataro couldn't know with any accuracy. There was no clock or window to help him mark the passage of time.

It made no difference, anyways. He pulled the plug keeping the water in the tub and got out, predictably slipping and falling. No matter how much he trained or how hard he tried, he was klutz at his very core.

"Hanataro?" Ikkaku asked, right outside the door. He heard Hanataro fall, but didn't rush in. He knew enough to know that would be very poorly received.

"I'm fine, Ikkaku," Hanataro answered, and he was. He landed in such a way that he didn't hurt himself badly. His tailbone may have a slight bruise, but if he forgot about the fall, he would barely notice it in thirty or so minutes. He tried to get up by using the sink, but his slippery hands only helped him part of the way, and he fell again. This time, he fell forward and managed to hit his head on a pipe that fed the sink. Now he was feeling rather dizzy and a bit angry at himself for being so very bad at things.

"Hanataro?" Ikkaku asked again, hearing the second fall. He wondered if this was a thing Hanataro did all the time, or if it was just a bad day. Anyways, it didn't matter now. What did matter is that Hanataro didn't answer him this time. "Hanataro? Are you all right?"

Hanataro rubbed his head and was about to reply, but he must have been too slow for Ikkaku's liking. The door opened with a slam and Ikkaku looked terrified because of a few things. First of all, Hanataro was completely naked, and he was sure that his forced entry would not be appreciated. Furthermore, there was a bit of blood on his forehead, and Ikkaku didn't like that one bit. "Hanataro, are you okay?" he asked again and rushed over to him.

"Ikkaku, get out while I'm undressed!" Hanataro decided suddenly it wasn't too much work to respond. Ikkaku turned on his heels, but Hanataro threw a bottle of soap at his retreating figure, just for good measure.

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I wanted this chapter to be longer, I really did. However, I didn't have time to write anymore this week. The next chapter will be a part two of this chapter.

I'm still looking for a beta. Any help is appreciated.


	68. Chapter 68

This is part two of the previous chapter and the next chapter will be like part three! I just can't get this chapter out entirely . . . But that was mainly because the end of the grading quarter was near and I had two D's in class. I ended with my lowest grade being a C and bringing both of those D's up to B's. I've verily worked my butt off for those grades, but now I should actually have time to myself so I can write a bit more and a bit better from here on out. Enjoy!

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Though it seemed to Ikkaku that Hanataro took a long time getting dressed and coming from the shower, he most certainly wasn't about to disturb his boyfriend without a very good reason. It most certainly couldn't be said about him that he was the brightest man that ever was, but he wasn't such a fool as to push his luck so much. Instead, he waited outside the bathroom with sharp ears, ready to respond if Hanataro should fall again (even if responding would be to his own detriment).

Hanataro did not fall again, however. Instead, he walked out of the bathroom wearing a fresh uniform and a clean, small bandage where he scraped his forehead. The idea of staying mad at Ikkaku passed through Hanataro's mind very briefly, and was dismissed quickly. Ikkaku was being a little bit indulgent today, and let himself go too far in his mission to take care of his boyfriend, which Hanataro thought was kind of cute. Nevertheless, Hanataro _would_ be locking the bathroom door from now on, so that he would save himself that kind of embarrassment, but no harm was done. This was the first time that Ikkaku had ever seen Hanataro entirely nude, but it wasn't that big of a leap from what they have been doing for weeks now.

"Sorry about just barging in," Ikkaku began. He kind of hoped that Hanataro would stop him with a dismissive comment, but that kindness was not awarded. Instead, Ikkaku fumbled around clumsily. "I just heard you fall, and your legs were shaking, and that was my fault, and I didn't want you to fall down and knock yourself out or something – if that happened, it really would be my fault. So, sorry."

Hanataro chuckled to himself. It made Hanataro feel a bit devious to let Ikkaku go on as he did about something that he intended to hold no grudge over, but, at the same time, there was a delicate line to be towed in this situation. Ikkaku wasn't necessarily going to have to face any type of penance for what he had done, but that wasn't to say that Hanataro wanted to make him think his actions were acceptable. "Just don't do it again," he said after quick but careful deliberation in his head.

"I won't," Ikkaku replied and pulled him in for a hug. Seeing as Hanataro didn't push him away. Ikkaku figured that he was pretty well forgiven, and so he knew it would be fine to kiss him. That was exactly what he did, starting first by kissing him on the top of his head, then trailing kisses down from his crown to his lips. Though it made Hanataro feel awkward to be doted upon so, he didn't protest.

"So, what do you want to do with the night?" Ikkaku asked, having a plan already in mind but asking Hanataro as a formality. Hanataro always shrugged when such decisions were allowed to be influenced by him, but Ikkaku figured he liked being asked anyways.

"I don't have a preference," he answered just as Ikkaku expected. Where certain people, namely Yumichika, hated to be relied upon for their regularity, Hanataro and others liked him held their regularity as a trait to be proud of. Ikkaku was very glad that Hanataro was such a reliable person; he was markedly bad at catering to those who he could not predict to some degree, Yumichika only being excepted.

"I've got a few ideas, then," Ikkaku replied. "D'you wanna hear them, or be surprised?"

"Let's hear them," Hanataro said, but then changed his mind. Even if he did have a preference for any of the options, Ikkaku would have most certainly already picked his favorite. It wasn't an issue any longer for Hanataro to voice his opinion, but he didn't want to pick the wrong thing from Ikkaku's list; knowing Ikkaku, he would probably assure that all of the activities he had picked would be done at some point, anyways. "Never mind, I like surprises," Hanataro said dismissively, thought honestly he was not precisely a fan.

"You'll love tonight, then," Ikkaku said, not commenting on the fact that Hanataro surprisingly liked surprises, but stored that information just the same. "I got permission to go to the human world for tonight from Captain. Sure, it was an under the table kinda deal, but it works."

"Are you sure we should—" Hanataro began, not wanting to get into any trouble.

"We'll be back before ten tomorrow—I promise. Plus, it's your day off, and I'm taking a half day. Don't worry about it, okay?" he replied dismissively. No one would know the difference if they were gone until mid-morning if they weren't missing work or anything of the sort. Not to mention Kenpachi would cover for them, for Ikkaku's sake more than anything, if they were noticed for whatever reason.

"I guess as long as there's no harm done," Hanataro conceded weakly. Though it was technically against the rules to leave for the human world without good reason, neither of them would be AWOL, and they were permitted by a captain. It was against most of his dearly held ideals to disobey rules for his own pleasure; this was a victimless crime, after all. With Hanataro's consent, they proceeded to the human world.

A quick detour before they departed was made to obtain gigai and artificial souls for the trip, provided by an unnamed benefactor, most likely Yumichika or Yachiru. Ikkaku didn't mention who had gotten the gigai, and Hanataro thought that the less he knew about the entire thing, the easier he could let his mind focus on having fun. It was still a victimless crime, of course, and that made the guilt for breaking such rules less of a burden. However, the more detached he could remain, the more at ease he could be.

Once they arrived in the human world, Hanataro and Ikkaku changed into their respective gigai right away, donning yukatas. Though Hanataro asked about the attire, thinking it too traditional to be wearing in modern Japan, Ikkaku assured him that it would fit right in where they were going. Hanataro didn't want to ask too many questions, seeing as Ikkaku was thinking that he was very excited for the thrill of a surprise. However, once they entered the town of Hiratsuka, it became clear that Ikkaku wasn't entirely sure what he was doing, anyways. He was right that the traditional yukata was worn by many in the crowd, who all seemed to be enjoying general festivities expected of a summer festival, but that seemed to be the extent of his knowledge of the entire affair.

This ineptitude was more than likely because it was a rather large, bustling place more than anything, but even then they weren't held up for long. Ikkaku found a ramen stand to eat at without too much wandering about, luckily being tall enough to see over the heads of most of the festival goers. He even played it off as if the stand was specifically the place he wanted to stop, rather than it just being conveniently placed and having a few open seats that were adjacent.

"Get whatever you want," Ikkaku told Hanataro when they both sat. Before the attendant, who was busy cooking an order that was already placed, came around, Hanataro whispered discreetly that he didn't have any human currency. "Don't worry; I've got it."

"How do you have money?" Hanataro asked, rather surprised.

The question elicited a blush from Ikkaku, but no answer. Instead, the attendant came around and broke the awkward silence between the two by asking what they wanted. They both ordered, and Hanataro pursued his question with the intent of getting answer from his boyfriend; he didn't like being kept in the dark.

"It's stupid," Ikkaku replied.

"_What's_ stupid, Ikkaku?" Hanataro asked, laughing a bit to himself. He was actually in rather high spirits because of the night out, and in no mood to start a conflagration over anything small. He did, however, want to know how Ikkaku came across human money while spending all of his time devoted to training.

"Just how I got the money," he mumbled dismissively. His blush was still apparent, and its intensity was exaggerated by his angular features and bald head.

"What secrets do you have to keep from me?" Hanataro asked, pouting.

"Not really a secret—" Ikkaku said with a start. He conceded that he may as well tell Hanataro to avoid making him wonder. "It's just, Yumichika and I did some modeling for a few magazines the last time we were in the human world. You know, Yumichika always wants to do stupid things like that, and he wanted to buy everything he saw when he was here. I gave him most of the money I made, but kept a little just in case I wanted anything."

"_You_ were a model?" Hanataro couldn't help asking. When he saw Ikkaku get more red in the face and avert his gaze, he was about to hasten to make an apology. However, he was cut off by the attendant, who placed the ramen before the two. Hanataro, thinking it would be appreciated by Ikkaku to keep the matter to themselves as much as possible, waited for the attendant to walk away before he continued. "Not that you don't look the part, of course."

"It was just a few martial arts catalogs and stuff," Ikkaku conceded. There were some alternate fashion magazines that were looking for models with a more acquired taste type of appearance that he was commissioned by as well, but Yumichika was in demand by nearly any type of magazine that saw his photo, as to be expected.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Hanataro said meekly.

"A'course you didn't," Ikkaku replied. "You think I look the part, though. Right?"

Upon seeing the sly smile Ikkaku gave him, Hanataro knew that no feelings were hurt. That was a relief, as it looked for a moment that they might have been. Hanataro assured Ikkaku that he thought there was no one any more fit to be a model in all the world, and Ikkaku countered by saying that he was a long cry from being as handsome as the man seated next to him. The attendant of the stand started giving them a suspicious glance when he heard their cutesy talk, however, and Ikkaku was less than fond of that. He knew full well that he couldn't get into any fights in such a precarious situation, technically being in the human world illegally, and so he just resolved to eat his ramen quickly and pay for the meal. Hanataro didn't notice the cook frowning at him, but hurried as he ate because of Ikkaku's example. He simply assumed Ikkaku had a lot of things planned; they were at a very popular festival with merchant booths lining the road and an endless amount of diversions to be enjoyed, after all.

"What should we do first?" Hanataro asked, wide-eyed. He'd never seen so many intricate decorations, made with such dedication. All of them seemed to be made of pastel colored paper folded into various origami shapes or huge banners, making them even more impressive in Hanataro's eyes. In small, sometimes archaic, characters, wishes, often in the form of poetry, were written on the slips of paper.

"Whatever you want to do," Ikkaku responded. Something seemed to catch his eye, however, and he said, "Hold on a sec, Hana." Then he walked off, disappearing into the crowd.

Hanataro wanted to object or follow Ikkaku, but his departure was so quick and unexpected that Hanataro didn't get his wits about him in time to do so. With nothing else to do, Hanataro moved to the side, where he would be out of the way of the human traffic. He was sure Ikkaku wouldn't be gone too long, and so he started to look at the stalls, careful not to wonder too far from where he'd been when Ikkaku left him. In a few minutes, Ikkaku returned with a couple of sticks of hanami dango and a box of pocky.

"I figured you might want some dessert," he said with a sincere smile.

"Ikkaku, you're being extra sweet today," Hanataro commented, meaning nothing of it.

"Well, yeah," Ikkaku replied, rolling his eyes as if the comment had no place in the conversation. In all reality, he just wanted to avoid feeling embarrassed, as he was prone to do sometimes.

"Either way, I appreciate it," Hanataro remedied the previous remark and took a stick of dango from Ikkaku. "Anyways, I was thinking we could play some games?" he ventured to suggest, though he sounded quite tentative, as if he expected to be denied.

"Sure, which ones do you like?" Ikkaku asked, biting into his own dango.

"Whichever," he shrugged noncommittally, though he did want to try his hand at catching a goldfish in those tricky paper nets. Everyone made it seem so difficult, but he thought that he could probably manage, and then he could have a memento of their date.

"I'm not any good at games, so pick one yourself," Ikkaku said, stuffing the last dumpling into his mouth and chewing all three at the same time, which Hanataro couldn't help but laugh at him for. Ikkaku was sweet, all right, but his manners left something to be desired for anyone who cared about such things.

"Well, I do want to see if I can catch one of those goldfish," Hanataro said sheepishly. A stand for that game in particular wasn't so far away, and Ikkaku quickly led the way there. He wanted Hanataro to enjoy himself to the fullest, seeing as the opportunity to go to a festival in the human world would be rarely presented to them.

Hanataro failed the first time, guilty of being overzealous. He was prepared to give up right away, but Ikkaku insisted that he tried again. Though Hanataro protested a little bit, he conceded when he was sure Ikkaku really wanted him to win. It took three tries, but Hanataro got a pretty little goldfish with black spots and elegant fins, worth every yen spent according to Ikkaku.

By the time they played a few more games and walked around to see all the major sights, dusk was falling and Ikkaku got rather excited. "Fireworks are going to start soon. Let's find a spot before they're all taken," he told Hanataro, who had no idea there were going to be fireworks. He always loved fireworks with a veritable passion, increased rather than diminished by their rarity in Seireitei, and so he was floating on cloud nine at the proposal. The night could hardly get any better than this, or so he thought

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Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than some of the more recent ones. I wrote it at the last minute, quite literally. to keep my promise of at least one update a week. It's very poorly edited, as most of you will notice, but my time is limited and I have no beta reader.


	69. Chapter 69

It would probably be a good idea to inform my dear audience that Ikkaku and Hanataro are attending the very famous Tanabata festival in Hiratsuka, Japan.

Here is a copied and pasted succinct description from Wikipedia:

Tanabata (七夕?, meaning "Evening of the seventh") is a Japanese star festival, originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival.[1] It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair respectively). According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. The date of Tanabata varies by region of the country, but the first festivities begin on July 7 of the Gregorian calendar. The celebration is held at various days between July and August.

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Ikkaku suggested that they get out of their respective gigai and find some perch that would allow them a clear view of the sky. Though Hanataro was a little reluctant, not knowing what type of artificial soul he had, he was too anxious to put up any type of argument. They both swallowed their artificial souls and Hanataro was relieved to see the personas that would be operating their body were demure enough not to cause worry. Without that worry, Hanataro was pretty well carefree. Ikkaku took full advantage of his good mood by picking him up bridal style and flash stepping to some tall, vacant roof.

"I have legs," Hanataro said in a kind of mock protest, though he actually quite enjoyed being carried by Ikkaku. It wasn't his boyfriend's habit to be so doting, of course, but because they couldn't be seen by anyone at the present, he wasn't restricted by anything.

"Very fine legs, too," Ikkaku replied with a wolfish grin. That reply made Hanataro blush and look away, but as Ikkaku made no more untoward comments, Hanataro very soon overlooked it. His boyfriend set him down on his own two feet, seeing as they were at their destination, but Hanataro had to admit he liked being held much more than standing. "What's that look for?" Ikkaku asked, curious as to why Hanataro was frowning.

"I-I didn't know I had any sort of look," he replied quite honestly.

"Well, smile," Ikkaku responded carelessly.

"Do you want my face to go numb?" Hanataro asked with a smirk, thinking it was funny that Ikkaku was annoyed that a smile slipped for a moment on Hanataro's face and he demanded for it to return.

"I just think you should smile as long as you're in such good company," Ikkaku responded and kissed Hanataro on the cheek, then sat while simultaneously pulling Hanataro into his lap.

Ikkaku's nonsense logic made Hanataro smile despite himself. He wanted to attempt holding a stoic face for a little while, just to see what Ikkaku's reaction would be, but it was too hard to pretend stoniness if Ikkaku was going to be so funny.

"That's better," Ikkaku said happily, noticing Hanataro's smile. "Smiles look good on you." The sun was setting and Ikkaku knew that the fireworks wouldn't start for another half hour, but he meant to bring Hanataro away from the crowd quite early. There were a few things he wanted to talk about and do outside of the scrutiny of a crowd.

"Do you have any of that pocky left?" Hanataro asked, changing the topic. He really couldn't stand to be the subject of a conversation, even if it was with the one person he trusted above all others to treat him kindly.

Though annoyed at Hanataro's change of topic, Ikkaku didn't comment on it. He knew Hanataro well enough by now to be thoroughly acquainted with his dislike of being the object of focus in nearly anything, and no matter what he did, Hanataro persisted in that one trait without fail. "Sure," he said and handed the box to Hanataro, so that he could take what he liked from it. They had been eating pieces while they walked around the festival, but there were still several sticks left.

"Hey, Ikkaku," Hanataro said, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks. It wasn't an out of the way thing to see, as Hanataro blushed at the slightest romantic thought or inclination of his mind. Even so, Ikkaku wondered what Hanataro had thought of to warrant his sudden coy blush and like demeanor.

"Hm?"

"I saw a couple do something with pocky earlier that I thought was kind of . . ." he trailed off, not thinking of the word he wanted or not saying it; Ikkaku couldn't tell which.

"Kind of?" Ikkaku prompted.

"Cute," Hanataro finished, being unreasonably shy by Ikkaku way of thinking. They had been together for far too long for either to feel so very nervous around the other, but it was one of the traits that Ikkaku adored when he wasn't annoyed by it.

"What can you do with pocky?" Ikkaku asked, raising an eyebrow at Hanataro.

"Well, I'll just show you," Hanataro said, and he put a stick of pocky in Ikkaku's mouth. He told Ikkaku not to eat it right away and then he put his mouth on the other end of the pocky, beginning to nibble his way to Ikkaku's end. Though Ikkaku would usually eat a stick of pocky in one bite, two at the most, he followed Hanataro's example and took very small bites. Unfortunately, about half way, the pocky broke and fell into his lap.

Ikkaku was blushing, as was Hanataro. Neither of them could be called a natural romantic, and even intimate familiarity didn't change their nature too much, but Ikkaku was a little bolder. "Maybe we should try until we get it right?" he proposed, and Hanataro didn't argue with that. This time Ikkaku put the pocky in Hanataro's mouth, and they tried again. Ikkaku was aware he was the one most at fault for making their endeavor a failure, as he lacked the ability to be exceedingly gentle or delicate, but Hanataro wasn't complaining about it. Half the fun was trying to work as a team to make it work.

They kept trying until they were to their last stick of pocky. Hanataro took it and put it in Ikkaku's mouth. "Last try," he said breathlessly. He always got flustered in the best sort of way when things got intimate. Ikkaku didn't say anything with the pocky in his mouth, but made a grunt that acknowledged Hanataro's words. This time, Ikkaku barely did anything at all, and Hanataro ate about three fourths of the pocky to get to Ikkaku's lips, but the kiss was all the sweeter for how many times they'd tried and failed to make it.

Ikkaku, as usual, took a dominate role in the kiss, but Hanataro didn't want it to last too long. He'd forgotten that when they did kiss, they would both have food in their mouths. Gross.

"What's wrong?" Ikkaku asked.

"I don't want your crumbs," Hanataro answered, making Ikkaku laugh. He glared indignantly at his careless boyfriend, who tried to control himself.

"Sorry, it's just, it was your idea in the first place," Ikkaku said between chuckles. "I'll stop," he promised, and gradually ceased his chuckling.

"I forgot about swapping food; that's gross," Hanataro answered.

"I didn't mind," Ikkaku said, and nuzzled into the crook of Hanataro's neck.

"Well, I thought it was gross," Hanataro replied, but smiled despite himself. Ikkaku wasn't laughing at him, Hanataro reminded himself, and dropped his defensive demeanor upon reminding himself who he was with.

"Hey, Ikkaku?" Hanataro began, not wanting silence to settle between them while he still felt as energetic as he did.

"Hm?" Ikkaku hummed, still cuddling closely with Hanataro.

"How did you manage to throw this whole thing together so quickly?" Hanataro asked, as he'd been wondering how Ikkaku arranged something which would require so much planning on a notice as short as he was given by Yumichika.

"Oh, well," Ikkaku blushed. "Actually, Yumichika kind of planned it. See, I was supposed to bring you here tomorrow, 'cause the festival's a two day thing. Me and him were going to come here today and scout everything out, but oh well. I made for a piss poor guide, but whatever."

"Yumichika planned this?" Hanataro asked. He certainly appreciated Yumichika's endless consideration for them, but he would also like for Ikkaku to be responsible for some things that they did together.

Detecting the air of disappointment in Hanataro's voice, Ikkaku quickly added something he thought would save him. "I mean, I wanted to come to Tanabata, but Yumichika's the one that got the gigai and artificial souls and found out when the festival was. He's good at that stuff."

"He sounds more like your travel agent," Hanataro said with a small smile. "Why did you want to come to Tanabata, though?" he asked, knowing very little about the festival in general. Certain areas of Seireitei and Rukongai celebrated different festivals with different customs, and his heritage, the Tanabata festival was not popular. All Hanataro really knew were obvious things, such as the focus on origami decorations and the emphasis on traditional dress; those things he'd learned just from observation that day.

"Well," Ikkaku began, wondering if this was the right moment to show Hanataro why he was so excited about Tanabata. "Did ya see all the bamboo with little pieces of paper hung on 'em?"

"Of course," Hanataro answered. One would have to be blind to miss something as obvious as that. "They've got poems on them, too."

"Yeah. You're supposed to write a poem about something you want and hang it up until midnight, then burn the paper," Ikkaku answered. "The whole festival is about Orihime and Hikoboshi getting to meet one day of the year."

"Oh," Hanataro said to show he understood what Ikkaku was saying, or at least acknowledge he was paying attention, though he didn't grasp the significance the way Ikkaku hoped he would.

"And I wrote a poem, though it really stinks," Ikkaku said rather lamely, wondering if he would regret revealing that or not.

"Are you allowed to show me?" Hanataro asked.

"Of course, you hang 'em up for anyone to see," Ikkaku answered.

"Why haven't you put yours up, then? It's almost dark now," Hanataro pointed out.

"'Cause I didn't get a chance. Anyways, I thought you might want to read it," Ikkaku said. "I got you some paper, too. In case you wanted it."

"Let's see it, then," Hanataro answered. Ikkaku got the slip of paper out reluctantly and forfeited it as if it were something valuable that he didn't want to forsake, but had to.

Some flowers bloom best

Under the light of the sun

But I hope my bud

Will bloom best under

The light of my love today

Forever, my flower

"Don't laugh at it, I'm no good at poetry. I spent three hours—" Ikkaku began, preparing to defend his pride as vehemently as need be. He stopped as soon as he saw water well in Hanataro's eyes, and immediately began offering apologies. "I'm sorry, was it that bad? Look, I-"

"Ikkaku . . ." Hanataro made no effort to put any more words to use, and instead hugged him. The style nor the delivery, were on Hanataro's mind. He didn't even notice that the last line of the haiku had six syllables. That Ikkaku would go so far as to write a poem, as much as he disliked overly sentimental and flowery language, was what made Hanataro so happy. That, along with the word love, which Hanataro thought Ikkaku probably spent most of the three hours he proclaimed to have spent trying to write the poem debating over that one word.

"So, you like it?" Ikkaku asked timidly, wrapping his arms around Hanataro, who had tears streaming liberally down his cheeks, though he was not sobbing.

"I loved it," Hanataro said and paused, unsure of whether or not to go as far as to make the committal phrase towards Ikkaku. Sure, he could apply the "L" word to inanimate objects all day, and no one bats an eye, but the word takes on an entirely new scope when applied to another person. "Did you really mean . . ."

"Yes," Ikkaku said softly. "I wasn't sure of when I should tell you, but . . ."

"But what?" Hanataro asked, breaking the embrace to look into Ikkaku's eyes.

"I thought I'd never have such a perfect opportunity to make it memorable, and I've known for weeks that I love you. I just had to tell you. It," he paused and looked away from Hanataro's big, blue, watery eyes. "It isn't that easy."

"How can you know?" Hanataro asked, hoping to have an earnest, insightful answer meet him.

"I really can't describe it," Ikkaku replied, scratching the back of his head. "It's something that you just know."

Hanataro didn't answer, he only looked down. The disappointment was written in bold letters on his face, or it may as well have been. "You don't have to say it until you know, though, Hana. I don't want you to, anyways."

"You're sure?" Hanataro asked, though he felt a fool to ask. Of course Ikkaku wouldn't want to hear a false confession; no one wants to hear lies about a topic so dear. However, despite knowing, Hanataro still couldn't help for feeling bad that he didn't know whether or not he was in love, nor know what love is.

"Of course, Hana," Ikkaku replied and wrapped his arms around Hanataro, holding him tightly. The fireworks started, alarming Hanataro. He hadn't even realized that the sun set while they were talking.

"I haven't seen fireworks in forever, it feels like," Hanataro commented, turning around so he was facing the opposite way from Ikkaku while still in his lap. Ikkaku offered no words to reply, but leaned back on one arm, and draped the other around Hanataro's waist loosely.

"Shouldn't you hang up your wish soon?" Hanataro asked, still looking at the fireworks. Nothing was more desirable than Ikkaku's wish coming true, in Hanataro's mind, but he had a certain listlessness in his voice, as if hanging up the wish wasn't of any great import. He was too focused on the fireworks.

"I should," Ikkaku conceded, but he was entranced by something else entirely. Fireworks were well and good, sure, but Hanataro was sitting on his lap and leaning back on him. The only thing that Ikkaku wanted now was to be able to control himself sufficiently so that there would be no disagreeable stirrings that would alarm Hanataro. While his wish was important, Hanataro staying right where he was held more of Ikkaku's concern at the present; he always was someone to live in the here and now, after all.

"Aren't you going?" Hanataro asked, though he leaned back more into Ikkaku's body as if he were a recliner chair. It seemed, though his lips said something definite, his body was of a separate mind entirely.

"It's not going anywhere," Ikkaku said, and rested his head on Hanataro's shoulder, facing toward the crook of Hanataro's neck.

"I guess waiting until after the fireworks wouldn't be the worst thing," Hanataro said, enjoying Ikkaku being there. It was cold, uncomfortable, cement under them, after all.

"My thoughts exactly," Ikkaku replied agreeably, though he wasn't interested in fireworks anymore. There was something much hotter on his lap, looking up at the sky as if he were in a trance and leaning back as if he wanted to melt into the person under him. Ikkaku started to kiss Hanataro's neck softly, and much to his surprise, Hanataro didn't offer even the slightest protest. He felt his member stirring in his hakama, but was too enamored by Hanataro to move, or even attempt to hide it.

Therein his mistake laid. Hanataro glanced back at Ikkaku, showing his displeasure by thinking it important enough to look away from the fireworks. "Sorry," Ikkaku replied lamely. "I don't mean to, you know."

"I know, just . . . Don't do anything bad," he replied, and then looked back to the fireworks. Just exactly what bad meant, Ikkaku didn't know, but he didn't think it would be very sagacious to ask while Hanataro was so thoroughly engrossed by the fireworks. Seeing as he was allowed to nuzzle Hanataro's neck earlier, he stuck with what he knew was safe until he could reclaim Hanataro's attention and ascertain the rules for the time being. Rather than protest, Hanataro seemed to enjoy the attention, and he watched the fireworks for a good fifteen minutes unperturbed while Ikkaku tried to balance his passion with patience. Finally, with the patience losing out, he told Hanataro that he changed his mind about hanging his poem later, and Hanataro tore himself away from the fireworks again to ask if anything was wrong.

"No, I just want to do it now," Ikkaku replied and kissed Hanataro on his cheek before flash stepping away and searching for an appropriate post for his note. Location wasn't the most important thing in the world, but a nice walk to calm himself was, seeing as Hanataro was doing his best to be irresistible and Ikkaku hadn't the willpower that he needed.

He looked around for a good ten minutes or so, and the fireworks were in their splendid meridian, surely ready to be terminated at any moment. That they've went on for so long already made Ikkaku very happy indeed, considering how much Hanataro enjoyed them. However, he had to hurry and finish his occupation and return before the show was over, or else Hanataro wouldn't have anything to occupy himself and he'd be alone. For some reason, leaving Hanataro alone and letting himself be missed was extremely disagreeable to Ikkaku, and so he fortuitously stumbled upon a stick of bamboo held by a likeness of Orihime that had many other wishes to be loved. He tied his wish to the stick and flash stepped to Hanataro's side just after the last firework went off.

Hanataro yawned and smiled. "Did you see the finale?"

"Yeah," Ikkaku said, though it was a partial lie. Sure, he glanced up every now and then, but he was more concerned about walking off his desire and finding a place to put his wish.

"Are you ready to go to sleep?" Hanataro asked.

"Yeah, let's go find our gigai. I got a hotel," he said, knowing they were both too tired to try and go back to Seireitei. Luckily, Yumichika had planned on something of the like happening and reserved a room for them with two twin beds. Tomorrow, Ikkaku and Hanataro would have enjoyed a more romantic room designed for couples, but they would have to make do.

"Sure," Hanataro said, standing up sleepily. Ikkaku took the opportunity presented and picked him up, then took off where he sensed the artificial souls had led their gigai. They'd fallen asleep under a tree on the outskirts of the town, and neither Ikkaku nor Hanataro bothered to wake them up. Instead, they just entered their gigai and dropped the artificial soul capsules unceremoniously in a pocket of their respective yukata, then slumped toward their hotel. They were not the last festival goers, but the throng of people was dying down rapidly, and very few fun seekers were still visiting those stalls that hadn't yet closed.

Ikkaku led the way because he had a better idea of where he was going than did Hanataro, but that was saying very little considering he hadn't ever been to the town before. This was the second time Ikkaku walked its streets, and he was in no way a worthy guide. However, despite the odds not weighing in their favor much at all, they were able to find the hotel and check in. Once done, they slunk blearily to their room.

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Finally a chapter ends with an air of finality. I wasn't rushed! (Even though I put off writing quite a bit again)

Disclaimer: I'm perfectly aware that haikus are not technically just poetry made of five, seven, five syllable lines. It's a more complicated form of poetry that really can't be translated to anything but its English equivalent for my purpose. I apologize that I couldn't come up with anything different. I had a sonnet written to use, planning on having Ikkaku say he was influenced by the Shakespeare Yumichika has been shoving down everyone's throat, but Ikkaku can't write a sonnet. He doesn't understand the necessary prosody, I'm sure. So, I just decided to have him write a short, imperfect haiku.

Forewarn: There may or may not be an update next week. I'm going on vacation for five days, and I will have no computer, let alone access to internet. I don't want to try and make up the chapter I plan on missing unless I can do so without cutting time for other things, so I can't promise anything.

Continued notice: I would still like a beta.


	70. Chapter 70

I may very well have my beta that I've wanted for so long, but she hasn't been a follower of my story. This means that she will have to catch up, but hey. It's better than not having a beta at all!

Also, this was later than I wanted it to be, but vacation put me way back on my writing.

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Once they finally got to their room, which felt like an eternity to the exhausted pair, they were both ready to fall on their respective beds without further delay and go to sleep. Hanataro did so right away, but Ikkaku was unhappy with the layout of the room and resolved to do something about it. Particularly, he didn't want to sleep in a separate bed than Hanataro, but acknowledged that the beds were too small to accommodate two, so he picked his bed up and put it next to Hanataro's as quietly as he could. Of course, Ikkaku never was graceful, and though the bed wasn't particularly heavy for him, it was awkward and caused him to make quite a bit of noise. When his task was done, however, he laid down by Hanataro, and his boyfriend gave no complaint of the commotion. It almost wasn't worth the effort to Ikkaku, but only almost. Besides, he was in too much of a doting mood to forgo sleeping with his flower, even if the events of the day had effectively tired him out.

"I love you," he said somewhat carelessly as he crawled into bed next to Hanataro and draped his arms around the object of his affection. Though he expected no reply, he still listened intently for anything Hanataro might say in reply. The only response Hanataro offered, much to Ikkaku's disappointment, was a momentary tensing as Ikkaku crawled into bed next to him. He relaxed, then tensed again because of the confession of love from Ikkaku; something that was still so new made him uncomfortable, even if it was appreciated. He did, of course, relax in his own time. Once settled, he even snuggled into Ikkaku's embrace to show, albeit silently, his appreciation for Ikkaku's affection.

A good deal of time passed and an uncomfortable silence arose to replace Ikkaku's clamor before bed. Despite their fatigue, they were both painfully aware of the other's alertness, and that awareness kept them both alert. For his part, Ikkaku hadn't fallen asleep right away because he felt guilty that him saying the "L" word too early and too often had made Hanataro too uncomfortable to go to sleep. He was searching his brain to contrive of a suitable apology while Hanataro, for his part, was feeling guilty for having nothing to say at all to Ikkaku's confession. Though they were both more than willing to get a little rest before morning, when they'd have to get back to Seireitei before Ikkaku's shift began, knowing the other was awake staved off sleep.

Though he was physically tired, Hanataro did not want to go to sleep with such an important problem to be resolved, and Ikkaku wasn't sure what to do or say to put Hanataro's mind to rest. However, even though both were ready to take responsibility and were aware that something must be said, neither wanted to start the conversation, mostly because of the fact that they recognized, or thought they recognized, their fault.

"I really like you," Hanataro finally broke the silence with his reply, knowing that if he used the "L" word in vain, he'd insult Ikkaku.

"I'm glad," he said lowly and laid a kiss on Hanataro's exposed neck. The unexpected peck made Hanataro shiver instead of relax, and he felt his face grew red. Hanataro was the romantic type at heart, or at least he thought himself to be, but romantic in the sense that he enjoyed cuddling and poetry. He wasn't so keen on a rest of it, but the romantic inclinations he had made him think that such a wonderful and intimate evening shouldn't end so anticlimactically. The problem was that a delicate balance had to be struck between his inhibitions and desires, and he wasn't sure of what to do about it. Especially when he realized how strong of a reaction he had to just a kiss. Not to mention, what with the proclamation of love coming from Ikkaku, Hanataro was afraid if he initiated any romance, it might get too out of hand. While weighing the pros and cons of the possible courses of actions, Hanataro felt more kisses on his neck. Ikkaku must have been thinking like Hanataro, all except for his inhibitions being quite the opposite of his love's.

"I-ikkaku," Hanataro said lowly in a kind of mock protest. He felt as if he did that too often, protest in vain without meaning anything by it, but it was his habit to put up a fight in such situations. It earned him the unceasing reputation among any who had gotten romantically close to him of having unreasonable prudence. It also made him wish to abstain from relationships for a long while. Old habits indeed died hard, and while in such a state of inner turmoil, Hanataro wasn't really too far from his true wishes when he protested Ikkaku's advances.

"Don't you want to?" Ikkaku asked, wrapping his arms around Hanataro and pulled him close. Feeling Ikkaku's hard, sculpted body against his made it very difficult, indeed, for Hanataro to decline.

"I don't want to go . . ." he began, but trailed off, not finishing his thought. He didn't like to be explicit, not even in the privacy of the bedroom with his boyfriend.

"All the way?" Ikkaku finished, being able to finish the thought, despite his own aversion to speaking about sexual situations. "It's all right; I don't want to unless you want to."

Hanataro glanced back at Ikkaku with doubtful eyes and a flushed complexion.

"I mean, I might _want_ to, but I won't. I want to make you happy more than anything, Hana," Ikkaku promised. "But, a little fooling around would be okay, wouldn't it?"

"If you want to," Hanataro replied.

"No, if you want to," Ikkaku corrected him. "Only if you want to. I said, I want to make you happy."

"Well," Hanataro began, blushing. He sat up, making Ikkaku worry he had said or done something wrong, but was pleasantly surprised. "I _do_ think it's a shame to end the night without doing something," he finally conceded. It was true, too. He really didn't want to go to sleep without _something_, after such a romantic evening.

Ikkaku propped himself up on an elbow to be on eye level, or closer to it, with Hanataro, ready to listen. "We can do it the way we always do. Just tell me what you want," he said lowly.

"I wouldn't mind . . ." Hanataro began coyly, then trailed off, too shy to finish.

"Wouldn't mind what?" Ikkaku asked eagerly, wanting to know what he was allowed to do and what he wasn't soon, before he burst from anticipation.

"Well, seeing as you saw me naked earlier, I wouldn't mind being able to see you," he replied, and began removing his own yukata, making it fair in his own mind.

This proposition gave Ikkaku reason to pause. Though he never would admit to it, he was always slightly self-conscious when it came to how he looked. However, it wasn't fair to deny Hanataro his request after all the time they've spent together, and the fact that he did indeed see Hanataro naked earlier that very day. If the relationship was to continue, as Ikkaku had every intention that it would, they would see each other at some point, anyways. Ikkaku, with his reasoning done, followed Hanataro's example and looked away when he saw Hanataro's eyes on him.

Hanataro couldn't believe that Ikkaku was being bashful about his appearance, but wasn't sure of how to comment on it. If he gave Ikkaku any compliments, he was sure that would only make the object of his admiration feel awkward, but he was gorgeous. His abs couldn't be any more defined if Bernini himself chiseled them, and his tan was, though imperfectly spread, gorgeous by every account. There was not an ounce of fat on Ikkaku because of his rigorous training, and his body, though a connect the dot without the dots pattern of scars, was absolutely the most attractive thing that Hanataro had ever lain his eyes upon.

There were no opportunities for Hanataro to say this without it seeming awfully awkward, however. Ikkaku made it a point not to look in Hanataro's eyes if Hanataro was going to make it a point to stare. Because it was the first time that Hanataro had ever beheld Ikkaku completely without clothes, he couldn't help but drink in the sight with his eyes, effectively keeping Ikkaku's focus firmly on an opposite wall. He looked so intensely the other direction that he missed Hanataro having an uncared for interruption from his nether regions. Even with Ikkaku staring in the opposite direction intently, he felt terribly embarrassed, so much more so because he couldn't possibly hide it while sitting naked on the bed with Ikkaku. For a moment he wondered if he could hide under the sheets before Ikkaku glanced back at him and call off the activities he himself proposed earlier. Before he would have had an opportunity to do so, Ikkaku looked back to see whether or not the scrutiny Hanataro had been putting him under had lessened yet and noticed, making Hanataro's decision for him.

"U-um," Hanataro stuttered, feeling awfully uncomfortable himself, now.

"You don't have to be ashamed of that around me, you know," Ikkaku said.

"Well, then you don't have to be ashamed of your body!" Hanataro retorted, feeling instead that he was quite right to be a little mortified.

"That's different," Ikkaku replied indignantly, going red in the face.

"No it isn't," Hanataro teased. He was going to go on, but Ikkaku had sufficiently tired of hearing it, and so he blocked Hanataro's mouth with his own. Though he was uncomfortable because of the situation, he would be lying if he tried to say that he wasn't turned on by seeing Hanataro stark naked, even if it was in the poor illumination offered by the bedside lamps.

Hanataro forsook arguing with Ikkaku in favor of enjoying his kiss and, when Ikkaku was sure Hanataro was enjoying himself, began to let his hands explore a bit. By the end of it, they were both hard and panting, ready for some type of release. Hanataro was on the verge of breaking down and consenting to going all the way.

"Hana, what do you want me to do?" Ikkaku asked lowly, whispering it in his ear and then nibbling, ever so slightly, on the lobe.

"W-whatever you want," Hanataro replied, and he meant it in the heat of the moment.

"I don't think that's what you wanted to say, Hana," Ikkaku replied, then looked at his boyfriend with scrutinizing eyes. Hanataro's face was flushed and his eyes were full of a sort of embarrassed desire, as if he wished he weren't so desperate.

"Here," Ikkaku said, grabbing Hanataro's hand and putting it on his own engorged member, then did the same for Hanataro. "This is good, right? Unless you want me to use my mouth," he offered deviously.

Hanataro's face flushed furiously at the suggestion, but was happy with the solution that Ikkaku came up with. Though it was just a hand, Ikkaku's caresses felt heavenly, and he hoped his own ministrations wrought the same effect. He wasn't ready to have sex quite yet, after all, and was glad Ikkaku came up with a solution that was so satisfying. It felt so good he couldn't help but buck his hips a little bit, though Ikkaku wasn't particularly skilled. "I-ikkaku!" he exclaimed, though he tried earnestly to keep his voice down.

"Hana," Ikkaku grunted in turn, though he wasn't as glazed over by passion as Hanataro was. The moment was quite intense, but Ikkaku was very aware of the situation being precarious, and he had no desire whatsoever to overstep the fine drawn boundaries. He barely knew what he could and could not do, and he realized fully what may happen should he step out of line. In short, Ikkaku wasn't about to lose his better judgment to passion, though he thought Hanataro was doing his damnedest to make that happen.

When he began to stroke Hanataro, he elicited a tantalizing moan and then Hanataro followed the example and began to do the same with his hand. This was the first explicitly sexual interaction between them, despite their long relationship, and Ikkaku knew he wouldn't last long when he was so turned on. Even so, he didn't want to come too quickly. The first thing he thought to do was to focus on the most unattractive thing possible, going right to Iba. It worked for a moment, but that soon proved to be too weak of a solution. He tried to think more unattractive people in a great haste, but it was to no avail. He couldn't help but come first. Luckily for his pride, Hanataro wasn't long behind him, and even while riding his own orgasm, he was able to continue stroking his boyfriend. Their come mixed on each other's stomachs and on the sheets, but, being so satisfied, Ikkaku couldn't have cared less.

Now decided upon going to bed, Ikkaku pulled Hanataro into his embrace and snuggled, spooning him.

"Ikkaku . . ." Hanataro began, not about to go to bed without discussing their first encounter. Ikkaku was beginning to think that maybe Hanataro just wasn't tired.

"Hm?" he grunted, snuggling closer and resting his head at the base of Hanataro's neck from behind.

"That was really," he paused for a moment, making sure he was using the most appropriate words that he could think of to voice how he felt. "Really nice."

"I'm glad you liked it, Hana," Ikkaku replied softly.

"I wasn't too bad at it, was I?" Hanataro asked timidly, expecting an affirmation and dreading if the feedback should be negative.

"Best I ever had," Ikkaku replied, which was truthful. Something was just different—better, when sexual interaction involved a person that was loved.

"You don't have to exaggerate," Hanataro replied, thinking that Ikkaku was protecting his feelings. Though it was appreciated, he still didn't want to be lied to.

"Good, because I didn't," Ikkaku replied, kissing Hanataro on the back of his neck and snuggling closer and hoping his actions would convey how badly he'd like to go to bed.

A few minutes passed and Ikkaku dared to hope he would indeed have what he wanted, but Hanataro _must_ have had too much sugar at the festival or something. "I kind of want to take a shower," he said lowly, hating to make Ikkaku let him up. Ikkaku groggily released Hanataro and turned around. "Maybe you should take one, too," he said lowly.

"It can wait," Ikkaku replied.

"But, you're lying in mine and your—ew," Hanataro couldn't even use the words. He got up and began to walk to the bathroom. Before he reached the door, he heard Ikkaku's snores. "Ikkaku?"

The snoring that began as soon as Ikkaku was left alone was interrupted for a moment at Hanataro's voice, then resumed, revealing it was fake.

"Ikkaku!"

"Hanataro, it's fucking late," Ikkaku finally said, wanting to go to sleep. He knew he should have kept his temper in check when he opened his eyes and saw Hanataro's lip quiver before he shut the bathroom door with himself inside. "Dammit all to the lowest district," he muttered and got up. "Sorry, Hana. I'm just tired. I'll wash off. Whatever floats your boat," he conceded. If it made Hanataro happy, what the hell? Why not?

"You don't have to," Hanataro answered on the other side of the door.

Ikkaku tried the door and it was locked, instantly getting very pissed off. He took a deep breath. "I'm just tired, okay? I want to wash off."

The lock on the door clicked and Ikkaku opened it. He was surprised to see Hanataro leaning over the bathtub/shower to turn on the water, his backside completely exposed. "Would you like to wash off with me?" he asked, realizing that Ikkaku wasn't completely at fault for the outburst and more than ready to put it past them.

"That might be counter-productive, Hana," Ikkaku said with a wolfish grin. However, he wasn't so far gone in his fatigue as to deny such a rare and tempting offer. Hanataro was quite the seductor, whether he knew it or not.

"Don't get too carried away," Hanataro said, warning Ikkaku that he didn't have free reign here.

"Fine, fine," Ikkaku replied, without bothering to find out how far too far was. He was too tired to do much, anyways. Taking a shower with Hanataro was an opportunity that he didn't want to pass up, for a couple of reasons. The first, and most important to Ikkaku, being that if he did pass up the opportunity, Hanataro's self-esteem would disappear altogether. Besides that, Hanataro was yelling at him just yesterday (or today, Ikkaku wasn't sure how late it was) about seeing him naked. Such a huge jump in trust was a treat, and he wasn't so insolent as to ignore it. Not to mention, providing that Hanataro was in a good mood, Ikkaku could have the opportunity to lather him up. Ikkaku's knees trembled slightly just thinking about it.

Ikkaku let Hanataro be the first to get into the shower, but he didn't wait long to join his boyfriend. It was rather unfortunate that the shower was small, but Hanataro didn't complain of feeling too encumbered. Ikkaku nervous that he might accidentally hit Hanataro due to the close quarters, but Hanataro moved freely without the same concern. In fact, he did hit Ikkaku while moving about a few times, but knew it didn't do much damage and therefore thought it silly to worry himself with apologies.

A few minutes in, he realized Ikkaku wasn't doing much but just standing still and trying hard not to stare indecently, and so he got on his tiptoes to lather Ikkaku's bald head with some shampoo.

"Hey!" he protested with a smile, kind of amused at it. It was what he was fantasizing about in reverse, actually.

"Hey yourself. You're supposed to wash in the shower, Ikkaku," Hanataro told him, and flicked his nose with some soap bubbles.

With a smile, Ikkaku took the bar of soap Hanataro had and started to wash off lazily. He might have done a better job if it wasn't for having an audience, which made him nervous, or if he weren't so tired; however, these things were in place. Ikkaku, once he finished washing himself, began on Hanataro. His boyfriend looked at him with surprise, but Ikkaku wasn't occupied for long. "What, you missed a spot," he said sheepishly, dismissing the event. Once they were done, Hanataro turned the water on its coldest setting and jumped out of the shower quickly, leaving Ikkaku to be hit with the frigid water. Though he knew it would be poorly received, he chuckled at Ikkaku's girlish shriek that he let out before he shut off the water.

"Hana!" he began patronizingly, but softened when he saw the accused chuckling to himself. "Whatever. I'm going to sleep."

Hanataro handed him a towel and kissed him on the cheek. "Good night."

"Remind me not to give you so much sugar near bedtime," Ikkaku muttered, taking the towel and beginning to dry himself groggily. Try to be nice to someone and see what you get? Oh well. He was still smiling despite himself.

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Stay tuned! Next is the episode at the spa with Yumichika and friends!


	71. Chapter 71

Another one of those chapters done at the last possible moment. And on mother's day! What a horrible daughter am I. Sorry for any mistakes in this chapter. I didn't have time to read over it, and it was done in a big hurry!

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"I really hope everything goes well," Isane said as she walked with Shunsui, making sure first that they were well out of Yumichika's earshot. "It's very hard to get any alone time, you know?" As soon as she finished speaking, her face flushed and she began justifying herself, though Shunsui was about to express how much he agreed. "I mean, he's really great, of course! An awesome friend, but . . ."

"I know exactly what you mean," Shunsui said with a nod. "Except for that last part. He's pretty conniving."

"Well, never against me," Isane said, though she couldn't say in good conscious that Yumichika was a malevolent person to others quite frequently. "And I'm trying to convince him not to do things to other, but that's way easier said than done."

Shunsui just nodded to show he understood. Of course Yumichika was kind to Isane—otherwise, he'd have no way of maintaining a friendship—but he still acted the same to others. Changing that part of his character would be a complete over hall in personality, one that probably couldn't be done, but he wouldn't bring that up to Isane. After all, if anyone could convince Yumichika to change, it would be Isane.

"I wonder how Yumichika came to like Izuru, of all people," Isane said, largely to herself.

"Ikkaku said Yumichika is very clingy," Shunsui said nonchalantly. "Apparently, Yumichika thinks he'll be very compatible with Izuru because Izuru is easily attached to someone. Plus, he likes Izuru's hair."

"The thing about Izuru's hair is probably enough of a reason for love for Yumichika all by itself," Isane commented without exaggeration. Everyone had their faults, it is true, and Yumichika's is shallowness.

Yumichika sneezed as he went through Ikkaku's mess of a room for his favorite yukatas to bring along, and he mused that someone must have been talking about him. He was always the superstitious type, but he didn't muse too much on who must be saying what; he was much too into the moment. Izuru and he were about the same size, and Yumichika wanted to pick out complimenting outfits for them to wear at the hot spring. It was a task easier said than done, considering he couldn't find anything that seemed appropriate.

What was subtle but telling? Too much red would be overt, so maybe some pink? No, what if Izuru doesn't like pink? Yumichika was pretty sure Izuru didn't like pink. Just a little bit of red, then? No, the only designs his yukatas sported with a bit of red were of red roses, and roses weren't subtle. So, maybe no red. Izuru probably doesn't like red, anyways. But then, what?

Izuru sat in his room looking out the window. It had been twenty minutes since he parted with the group, and Yumichika still hadn't come. Maybe he backed out and decided to take someone else—someone more attractive or more agreeable in personality. It seemed the sun went down rather quickly for such a short amount of time and he inwardly lamented its lack of concern as it kept time.

Maybe green, Yumichika thought. No! Blue. Blue would look so nice on Izuru, Yumichika mused. Those icy blue eyes, that pale skin, that platinum hair. Blue would be perfect. He found a nice, silken yukata that was pastel blue with subtle willow branches for decoration, then picked a wisteria obi that matched a different yukata, but complimented the blue well. Then he picked his favorite yukata, the one whose obi Yumichika used to go with the blue yukata he picked for Izuru. It was a wisteria silk with faint bluish lilies, and he took the blue obi that matched the yukata he was going to lend to Izuru to wear his own. By the time he finished picking out the outfits, he realized it had been a half hour. "Izuru's going to think I'm not coming!" he fretted and commenced to change as quickly as he could, then rushed out the door and flash stepped all the way to Izuru's room.

A loud knock woke Izuru out of a reverie of despair, and he resented it until he realized who was knocking. He answered immediately, though he was afraid right after he opened the door that his readiness would make him look too desperate.

"Zuru!" Yumichika said right away, assuaging Izuru's fear of being perceived too excited. If anyone was guilty of that, it would be Yumichika. "I went through the trouble to pick out a pretty yukata—please wear it instead of that gray one," he said, holding up the most beautiful garment Izuru ever thought he looked upon.

"R-really?" Izuru asked in disbelief.

"You didn't think I would invite you somewhere without accommodating you, did you?" Yumichika asked, begging the question. "Please. Wear this. And, if you want, I have a fan to use with it."

"I have a fan," Izuru replied, not answering Yumichika's first statement. He took the yukata with a faint tilt of his lips that looked a bit like a smile in the larval stage.

"So, do you like it?" Yumichika asked hopefully.

"The yukata?"

"Of course. What else would I mean?" Yumichika asked, hands on his hips.

"Oh, I don't know," Izuru replied, scratching the back of his head with uncertainty. "But, I do like it. It's a pretty color. I like the obi, too," he commented quietly, then looked up at Yumichika. He noticed then that the obis for their respective yukatas were switched, and he blushed deeply. Whatever Yumichika meant by that subtle action, Izuru wasn't prepared to discern; however, it was not his intention to venture a guess about it. Maybe it was an accident, maybe it wasn't. All Yumichika intended would be made clear if he wanted it to be clear, Izuru guessed. All he could do is fret, but he didn't want to engage in too much of that.

"I'll go change," Izuru said quietly and slipped off to the bathroom.

"Kay, Zuru," Yumichika replied in a sing-song tone. Someone is in a good mood, at least, Izuru thought.

Ten miles away, Shunsui and Isane were sitting in a private hot spring that would comfortably accommodate five. Despite having plenty of room, they were as close as they could be decently, Isane cuddled next to Shunsui who had his arm around her while secretly dozing. The warm water almost made Isane go to sleep as well, but she had been talking about her nightmares for about ten and couldn't bring herself to stop mid-nightmare. It was especially important to her because this was the only nightmare she'd had all week, mostly thanks to Shunsui's help.

"Then, that evil pasta monster just disappeared. Probably because my porridge sidekick defeated it, but I didn't see that part. Anyways, that's the only bad dream I had all week, but I think that one was because I ate pork for the first time in a long time, and I read somewhere that grease has an effect on that sort of thing. But, you see, Yumichika was having a little bit of a crisis, so he wanted to eat junk food, but he's like a girl and doesn't want to binge eat all by himself," she spoke with very little cadence in a drowsy tone.

"He's lucky to have you as a friend," Shunsui commented, waking up about halfway through the latest part of Isane's rambles. "Speaking of him, where is he, anyways?"

"Oh, probably picking out his outfit. He always has to make sure he looks nice, you know," she responded.

"Yes, that is a very . . . Yumichika like concern. I wouldn't be surprised if he picked out Izuru's outfit, too."

"Neither would I. Actually, he might try and coordinate them. That's probably what's taking so long—"

"Lieutenant!" Yumichika's voice chimed as clear as a bell, and as musical, as he walked in with Izuru following behind. "Sorry I took so long—I couldn't decide what to wear. Or what to have Izuru wear, for that matter. In any event, sorry for taking so long."

"Don't worry about it," Shunsui replied, though he wasn't addressed. "I enjoyed the time _alone_ with Isane."

"Good. I'm sure you don't have that opportunity too often, what with Lieutenant's crazy work schedule," Yumichika said and took off his yukata to join the two in the hot spring, carefully folding the garment and putting it aside. He wore a generously concealing fundoshi for decency, seeing as Isane was around.

Something crazy certainly got in the way of Shunsui's private time with Isane, he mused. It was not her work schedule, though. That was certain. However, he said nothing, even as Yumichika sat next to Isane and prompted her to change positions so that she could have a conversation with her friend. The two talked very animatedly about things that seemed utterly inane to Shunsui, but it did distract everyone's attention while Izuru undressed and got into the water, no doubt being Yumichika's goal.

"I don't think I'll try to prepare my porridge that way, Yumichika. That pork we had the other night gave me nightmares," Isane said as an ending note to their boring conversation. It may have actually continued for a good deal longer, seeing as Yumichika seemed to enjoy conversations with Isane, regardless of their topic. However, the beauty's attention shifted to Izuru once the blond settled into the water.

"Did you like our yukatas? They looked nice together, I thought," Yumichika said as he glanced to Izuru, but addressed Isane.

"Yes. The purple and blue looked nice next to each other," Isane agreed, not jarred at all by the sudden change of topic.

"I think blue and purple are wonderful colors. The yukatas actually matched our respective eyes, but I'm sure you noticed that," Yumichika said. "I mean, his yukata wasn't exactly the right shade of blue, but any painter would lament at the shade of blue his eyes are. Who could capture such a color? But, it is as close as anyone could get."

"You don't overlook much, do you?" Isane said, earnestly impressed at the amount of consideration Yumichika put into choosing the outfits. He coordinated the colors to compliment both each other and their eyes.

"Well," Yumichika began, starting to debate inwardly whether or not he should feign modesty. Such wasn't his style, though, and so he decided to forgo that intention. "No." After a pause, he added, "If you don't pay attention to details, then you wouldn't be worth the consideration of someone who is worth the effort, you know."

Yumichika glanced over to Izuru, who was blushing and avoiding eye contact. Though with some, Yumichika might pass the reddish tint of the skin to be caused by the heat of the hot spring, Yumichika knew such was not the case with Izuru.

"What did you think about the yukatas, Zuru?" Yumichika asked with a small smile, hoping to bring him into the conversation.

"I already told you," Izuru replied, but upon seeing Yumichika's smile quickly turn to a frown, he rephrased. "I already told you that it was a very good choice. Thank you."

"You know, that yukata looks so cute on you, I want you to just keep it," Yumichika said.

"Yumichika!" Izuru began to protest. He wondered if this was just a show in front of friends, or if it was earnest. If the offer was earnest, then it was too generous to accept. If not, then it was rather cruel. Either way, Izuru didn't like it, and his pout showed as much.

"Just promise me that you'll think of me when wearing it, and that'll be more than enough!" he replied with a bright smile

Shunsui stood a bit shakily, seeing that Yumichika and Izuru were getting along so well.

"Shunsui?" Yumichika asked, forgoing the title as was his habit.

"Sorry, I think I drank a bit much today. The heat and the steam are getting to me," he said, though it wasn't true. Isane immediately stood to support himself, as he feigned uncertainty in his movement well.

"Then we can go to another part of the resort," Isane said.

"We'll catch up later," Yumichika said to her. "If you don't mind."

"Not at all," Shunsui answered for her. Izuru wanted to protest to being left alone with the very forward Yumichika, but couldn't find the words in time to stop the pair, even though they made no haste in leaving.

"Um . . . " Izuru said lowly when left alone, but Yumichika made no haste in replying.

"This hot spring is lovely, huh, Izuru?" Yumichika said after a few minutes of silence that felt very awkward to Izuru. It was such a surprise that anything was said at all that Izuru didn't even notice being addressed by his full name at first.

"Very," Izuru answered lowly.

"You know, Izuru, I've wanted to have a talk with you for a long time. Like, twenty years long time, ever since our previous escapades," Yumichika said, finally gathering the necessary courage to have this long awaited talk.

Izuru's cheeks flushed again and he fidgeted, looking anywhere but at Yumichika.

"Will you listen?" Yumichika asked hopefully and leaned forward towards Izuru. They were only about an arm length apart, but Yumichika wanted to do everything he could to engage the object of his interest. "Izuru?"

"You're calling me by my first name?" Izuru asked lowly, wondering if this talk would be all that positive, that being the case.

"I just want you to know that I'm absolutely serious about everything I'm about to say. Will you hear me out?" he asked.

"O-of course. I mean, I guess."


End file.
